Local ethnic musical band At Adau among the performers featured in the inaugural festival in Sibu.
SIBU (Sept 25): The two-day Borneo Tribal Music Festival (BTMF) 2022 could be listed as ‘one of the best products’ in terms of international tourism, said permanent secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Sarawak Hii Chang Kee.
He said he saw the potential of the event to grow bigger if it continued to be run as an annual festival here.
“Despite its slightly lacklustre start, I believe the Borneo Tribal Music Festival would grow bigger in the future.
“I believe with the support from the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) and other related parties, it has the potential to be another international-level event here apart, from the Borneo Cultural Festival, Sibu International Dance Festival and Sibu International Base Jump,” he told reporters when met at the inaugural BTMF on Taman Esplanade here on Friday night.
Hii also commended the organiser for holding an event that he deemed as ‘definitely going to have a very positive impact on the local tourism sector and at the same time, on the people of Sibu as well’.
Members of the Sarawak Sape Club showcase a mini-performance at festival.
He regarded the BTMF as being different from the other music festivals, while highlighting that every city and major town in Sarawak should have its own music festival.
“BTMF is the first for Sibu. In Kuching, we already have Kuching Jazz and the Rainforest World Music Festival, while in Miri, (there) is Borneo Jazz.
“We are very happy with the existence of BTMF, which has the potential of reaching such a standard.”
Hii also assured everyone that the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries, and Performing Arts Sarawak would always provide support and assistance for the organisation of any festival event meant to ‘make the atmosphere more interesting and at the same time, attract more people from outside to visit Sibu’.
“After the pandemic and now entering the endemic phase, those involved in the tourism sector in Sarawak should work harder, and to start working, towards recovery,” he added.
Meanwhile, SMC chairman Clarence Ting expressed hope that more of such events could be held here in the future.
On the BTMF, he said this kind of festival had never been held in Sibu, but the encouragement for and the acceptance towards it had been amazing.
“The BTMF idea came from our young man, Wilfred Gan (managing chairman of BTMF).
“At first, he was a bit hesitant to organise it but after briefing me about it, I asked him to proceed.
“It turned out that this festival did not disappoint tonight (Friday); I was very surprised to see the number of visitors here.”
In this regard, Ting encouraged the local youths to contribute more ideas to make Sibu a lively and vibrant place than ever before.
When interviewed, Gan said the tickets for both nights had sold out.
“The festival can only accommodate 1,000 people per night,” he added.
The festival also comes with various stalls selling food for the convenience of the visitors.
The festival, which ends today, features various artistes and popular deejays from Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Adding further, Gan said: “We have even received visitors from Australia.
“I hope that BTMF could be organised again, at a larger scale with a larger venue, in the future.”
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