KUCHING: Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has suggested that the Sarawak International Festival of Music and Arts (Sifma) be held annually or biennially.
He made the proposal at Sifma’s inaugural event held at the Old Legislative Assembly (DUN) building here last Friday night.
“Sifma has the potential to become another international festival similar to the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).
“We believe Sifma can make Sarawak a great avenue for exchanges of ideas, experiences, appreciation and views, especially on arts and cultures.
“This will further be enhanced when the new Performance Arts Centre in Kuching is ready in the next two years,” he said.
On the Old Legislative Assembly (DUN) building, Karim explained that the Sifma event would be the last performance at the historic building before it underwent major renovation and was transformed into the Performing Arts Centre.
“The centre will showcase all the talented musicians and artistes that we have, our ethnicities and cultures as well as musicians that we invite from other parts of the world,” he said.
“The organisation of Sifma definitely fits into what we have or lives up to the World Craft Council’s accreditation of Kuching as a city of arts. People will see that Kuching is indeed a city which has a lot of things to offer.”
Also present at the event were Youth and Sports Assistant Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Sifma organising chairperson Dr Geraldine Law-Lee.
