KUCHING: Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said festival-goers to the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) would be greeted with upgraded facilities.
With the state government’s RM13 million allocation, the facilities at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) are spanking new.
“As they have not been upgraded for quite some time thus, you can see the facilities or the structure of the buildings are newer and we are happy with this,” he beamed, during an inspection yesterday.
He thanked Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) for hastening the upgrading works, which included the facilities at the RWMF grounds.
Regarding the Wi-Fi connection at the venue, Sacofa Sdn Bhd would handle this.
“I promised the media last year. It was the first thing that the foreign media asked — the Wi-Fi connection, and it will be finally improved.
“Hopefully when there are thousands of people here, the connection will not lag but we will get the feedback on the actual day itself,” Abdul Karim said.
Abdul Karim felt that this year’s festival, from July 12 to 14, featuring hiking and walking trails were among the little things that they had come up to ensure that visitors would enjoy the experience more.
“We are also introducing water dispensers as an effort to reduce garbage during the festival.
“Therefore, we encourage visitors to bring their own bottles to refill. In addition, visitors will be given free water bottles to remember their time at the festival.
“It is among the efforts by the organisers to reduce the usage of plastic bottles and reduce garbage,” he explained.
Among those present during the inspection were permanent secretary to the ministry Hii Chang Kee, SCV general manager Jane Lian Labang, Sarawak Tourism Board chairman Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz, SEDC general manager Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir and SEDC deputy general manager Edwin Abit.
