Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival to bring together melting pot of musical talents

KOTA KINABLU: The 11th edition of the Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival will kick off on Friday, July 21, for a two-night show, promising world-class entertainment by local and international acts alike.

Staged against the picturesque backdrop of the city, the festival intends to bring together a melting pot of musical talents from the world over, to an estimated strong crowd of 4,000.

Organising chairperson Rotarian Jack Ong said that this year, the committee aimed to bring something special to the table in terms of performers.

Along with co-organising chairperson and Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (SPArKS) president Roger Wang, Jack came up with the idea to involve artists that began their musical journey on the jazz festival stage.

“Roger and I came up with this idea to mark our achievements and the achievements of these performers.

“We decided to look back on artists who have performed on the jazz festival stage when they were starting out in their careers, most of whom are locals.”

Roger added that the committee rounded up as many jazz festival-bred local artists as they could, while actively searching for new homegrown talent.

“Every year, we conduct a talent search where we scout for performers at local watering holes to give them a chance to perform at the jazz festival.

“We want to give them the thrill of performing for a large crowd and we believe it’s important to do this, as a number of jazz bands started from the talent search,” he said.

Jack added that the committee and the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu (RCKK) also worked closely with schools to identify new talent, revealing that the winner of this year’s Bakat Interact competition from SM St Francis Convent would open the show on Friday night.

During a media launch, Jack told the press that proceeds from ticket sales would continue to be channelled towards funding community projects led by RCKK.

Some projects funded by the festival through the years include provision of clear water, literacy programmes, avoidable blindness campaigns for early eye disease detection and free medical services for rural communities, environment protection programmes and construction of boarding homes for rural students.

RCKK president Dr Ravi Mandalam said that the club would continue with their efforts in the avoidable blindness campaign, which had been sharpened and gained more focus in the last two years.

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival - This year’s edition different from previous years

KUCHING: The 20th Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is this year different from previous years with the presence of an inaugural Rainforest Fringe Festival (RFF) from July 7 to 16.

During the launching ceremony held at the Old Courthouse here yesterday, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said RFF is a 10-day spectacle of the best that Sarawak has to offer in terms of art, craft, music, fashion, food, film and photography.

“In previous years, RWMF was always confined in Damai, about 20km away from here “With RFF, we are bringing the RWMF vibe to different locations in town showcasing the best of what Sarawak has to offer,” he said, Abdul Karim also said the next 10 days would be beneficial to the local hoteliers, food operators and transport providers.

When asked about the state government’s plan to let the private sector organise the iconic festival (RWMF), Abdul Karim said in a way the RWMF had been partly privatised “because we have been outsourcing some of the activities to event management companies and that we have received many sponsorships from corporate bodies.

“However, the government will always back up RWMF activities to make sure they are in line with our vision to promote our arts and culture.”

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Art exhibition to be held during Rainforest World Music Festival

KUCHING: Sarawak Artists Society (SAS) and Hilton will be holding an art exhibition in conjunction with Rainforest World Music Festival at Hilton’s foyer from July 13 to 16.

Hilton is collaborating with one of Sarawak’s most prestigious Visual Arts Society to showcase both established and upcoming artists right here in Kuching.

“Supporting Sarawakian artists aligns with Hilton’s purpose of celebrating local culture and creating opportunities. We are excited to host the upcoming art exhibition with Sarawak Artists Society,” said Hilton Kuching general manager Hamish Watts at a press conference here yesterday.

The theme of this exhibition is ‘Rimba Sarawak’ where the paintings express the beauty of Sarawak in a myriad of colours and art styles, according to SAS president David Chew.

Participating artists will create pieces that reflect their emotions and reinterpretations of Sarawak’s lushful rainforests, iconic animals and culture that are synonymous with nature.

“Rimba Sarawak hopes to engage viewers, locals and tourists to appreciate Sarawak from another perspective. Smaller pieces will be produced with this in mind, so the artworks will serve as exquisite souvenirs for travellers to bring home,” said Chew.

These heartfelt paintings will be displayed for viewing in Hilton for a few days with most, if not all of them, to be paraded on Hilton’s walls after the art show.

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Borneo's orangutans in 'alarming' decline

The orangutan population on the island of Borneo has shrunk by a quarter in the last decade, researchers said Friday, urging a rethink of strategies to protect the critically-endangered great ape.

The first-ever analysis of long-term orangutan population trends revealed a worrying decline, they said.

An international team of researchers used a combination of helicopter and ground surveys, interviews with local communities, and modelling techniques to draw a picture of change over the past ten years.

Previous counts have largely relied on estimations based on ground and aerial surveys of orangutan nests. Some suggested that Bornean orangutan numbers were in fact increasing.

The new findings, the team said in a statement, are "a wake-up call for the orangutan conservation community and the Indonesian and Malaysian governments who have committed to saving the species."

Every year, some $30-40 million (26-35 million euros) is spent in the region to halt wildlife decline.

"The study shows that these funds are not effectively spent," said the team.

The biggest threat to orangutans, one of only two great ape species found in Asia today, are habitat loss due to farming and climate change, and their killing for food or in conflict with humans.

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Meritin Hotel Kuching opens its doors to guests

KUCHING: A new kid on the block, Meritin Hotel, offers an upscale 3-star hospitality experience.

Situated in the old Chinatown of Jalan Padungan, Meritin Hotel brings liveliness by creating a vibrant atmosphere in one of the oldest and most historical streets in the heart of Kuching. 

As you step into the elegant modern-classic hotel, pleasant staff extend their warm welcome.

“Our aim is to create the feeling of ‘home away from home’ for all our guests. Most people are not flexible in their travelling dates and they usually plan a long time for a nice holiday.

“Therefore, when they do get the chance, they should be able to enjoy Kuching’s tourism to the fullest without having to sacrifice on comforts,” said its general manager Olivia Ting Mei Tze.

“We want to be a part in creating those wonderful memories for them,” Ting added.

Tour packages are also available for guests.

The hotel’s signature restaurant, Haza Café is backed by a team of professional chefs with over 25 years of experience in renowned 5-star hotels.  The cosy and intimate ambience is an epitome of community as a great social and business gathering venue.

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