Borneo Native Festival returns to KL
KOTA KINABALU (May 16): The fourth edition of the Borneo Native Festival will take place at Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur from May 23 to 25, to celebrate Sabah and Sarawak native cultures.
'This festival aims to bring the vibes of the Kaamatan and Gawai festivals to the Peninsular, so that people of the two states who are unable to make it home can celebrate there and to introduce to other people the annual cultural events,' said the festival director, Raffy Syazwan Arpandi, at a press conference here recently.
Raffy said among the activities planned include beauty pageants, dance competitions and selling of various products by local entrepreneurs.
He said it is also a pre-introduction to Kaamatan and Gawai, where those who want to experience the real thing can fly to Sabah or Sarawak after.
This year's event is supported by several agencies including Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah, Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (Scenic) and Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR).
It is also supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) and the Ministry of Unity, with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) as the strategic partner.
DIDR will be bringing 12 local entrepreneurs to showcase their handicraft as well as traditional food and beverages such as linopot and tuak.
Scenic's initiative is to give market access through 11 social entrepreneurs it is bringing to this festival, related to the handicraft, food and beverages and health industry sectors.
IDS Sabah will be bringing two entrepreneurs showcasing handicraft made out of banana fibre as well as copper, with a focus on a bottom-top approach to uplift economies at the grassroots level.
Several local artists will be performing at the event, including Tompuvan, Dabra Sia, Belle Sisoki and Alena Murang.
A mob dance trail is also planned from TRX Kuala Lumpur to Pavilion to Pasar Seni, which will highlight the Datun Julud dance.
A total of 90,000 visitors are expected at this year's event, while the sales target is around RM200,000.
Deputy Economy Minister Dato Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib and Deputy Motac Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan are expected to officiate.
In terms of entrepreneur participation, around 200 are anticipated.
Also present at the press conference were DIDR Sabah economic affairs assistant officer Juinah Lipat, Scenic Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship assistant manager (Capacity Building Ecosystem Department) Shazrean Shah Saptu and IDS Sabah research associate Paul Canigea Pungut.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
19 hours ago
- Barnama
FBP 2025 Positions Balik Pulau As Cultural Tourism Hub
BALIK PULAU, July 27 (Bernama) -- The Balik Pulau Festival 2025 (FBP 2025) is positioning the area as a key cultural tourism destination in Penang, highlighting its rich arts, heritage and traditional cuisine beyond its famed durians. National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) deputy director-general (Policy and Planning) Mohd Radzi Omar said the festival, first introduced in 2019, also boosts Penang's economy by benefiting cultural entrepreneurs and art practitioners. 'This event showcases the diversity of Penang's cultural heritage and is crucial in sustaining the state's cultural tourism industry,' he told reporters at the festival's closing ceremony at Balik Pulau Sports Complex today. The ceremony was officiated by State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hong Wai and attended by Balik Pulau Member of Parliament Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik. Mohd Radzi said the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) approved RM1.38 million in cultural sector grants to 25 Penang cultural associations and companies last year, with RM490,000 approved so far this year to further boost activities. Ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, he said similar cultural festivals have been held in Perlis, Perak and Kelantan, with upcoming events planned in Kedah, Terengganu and other states. Wong said the festivals help promote Penang's cultural identity and provide economic spillovers, particularly for rural and suburban communities. Muhammad Bakhtiar expressed hope the event would be listed as an annual tourism calendar highlight. FBP 2025, themed Kembali Riuh di Lik Lau, was the second edition organised by MOTAC through JKKN in collaboration with the Balik Pulau MP's office and Warmina Penang Association.
Daily Express
a day ago
- Daily Express
Bintang Kecil: Tawau lass to represent Sabah
Published on: Sunday, July 27, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 27, 2025 Text Size: Nurul Hafizah (left) and Hannah pose with their prizes. KOTA KINABALU: Nurul Hafizah Safri from Tawau will represent Sabah at the national Bintang Kecil 2025 competition, scheduled to be held in Kuching, Sarawak on Sept 20. She was named Best Participant for the Sabah Zone during the recent Debaran Bintang Kecil 2025 round, earning her a spot in the finals. Nurul edged out close competitor Hannah Jean Roney. Both received RM3,000 in cash prizes. Nurul expressed gratitude and promised to give her best in the finals. 'My hope is to do my best in Sarawak and make Tawau and Sabah proud,' she said. Her family, including her aunt Misbaria Maidin, has been supportive and noticed positive changes in Nurul since joining the competition. 'The Bintang Kecil stage has brought many benefits to children like my niece. She is now braver in public, compared to before when she was shy. She gained a lot of experience through this competition,' Misbaria said. A total of 11 participants from Brunei, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak will compete in the final, which this year highlights a Metaverse concept, combining digital creativity and live performance. Meanwhile, Sabah Broadcasting Director Mohd Yusni Mohamed Ali congratulated all participants and expressed hope that Sabah's representative would shine at the national level. 'Congratulations to all participants, especially Nurul from Tawau. She delivered an outstanding performance and rightly earned her place to represent the Sabah Zone. I hope this win leads to greater success in Sarawak,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
When club musicians fall, Danny Sandhu is there to catch them
PETALING JAYA: Danny Sandhu has never played an instrument on stage, nor belted out a ballad beneath the glow of bar lights. But ask any seasoned musician from Malaysia's club circuit, and his name brings immediate warmth and gratitude. For the past four years, Danny, 65, has quietly taken on a role most wouldn't expect: a relentless fundraiser and friend to musicians and deejays in crisis. From health emergencies to financial ruin, Danny, an events specialist by trade, has made it his personal mission to be there when the music stops, and the silence of hardship sets in. 'I just can't stand by when people who've given us joy are struggling in the shadows,' Danny said, his voice measured but resolute. 'They've played through the years for us, through heartbreaks, celebrations, quiet nights and loud ones. When they fall, we have to lift them.' Danny's partner, Ice, is a singer in the local club scene, a window into the unseen struggles that many musicians endure. Gigs are inconsistent. Pay is low. There's little to no social safety net. Behind every soulful tune is often a story of sacrifice and resilience. Danny's proximity to this world spurred him into action. Over the past four years, Danny has helped raise close to RM300,000 for various causes, thanks largely to the generosity of financial institution ICAP Sdn Bhd, which has strongly supported his mission of compassion. Of that total, ICAP contributed over RM220,000 specifically to assist club artistes, while Danny's friend, Justin Cheng, personally donated an additional RM50,000. Danny's collaboration with ICAP also extended beyond the music scene. A kindergarten run by the Canossian Sisters in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur, received RM36,000, while ACTS (A Call to Serve) was given RM10,000 to support sick refugees and asylum seekers. His most recent initiative hit close to home: veteran keyboardist Johan Chong Mohamad Chong, who formed a duo with Ice, was diagnosed with stage three cancer. Recently, the Saints Bar in Taman Sri Hartamas filled with fellow musicians, patrons, and strangers-turned-friends. The night raised over RM15,000, a lifeline for Johan's ongoing treatment, and the total now stands at about RM21,000. 'This isn't charity. It's responsibility,' Danny added. 'These musicians and deejays are part of our cultural soul. They deserve dignity, not just applause.' It was in January 2021 that Danny helped launch 'Lend a Helping Hand' in collaboration with the Club Artistes' division of the Malaysian Artistes' Association (Karyawan). The initiative was born from one simple belief: 'Musicians, especially those who have little, must care for one another, and so must we.' Danny recalled the early days of the campaign with quiet pride. 'It was a unique show of caring,' he said. 'Helpless musicians, still finding strength to support one another during the pandemic.' ICAP's RM30,000 contribution at the time was a pivotal moment — a corporate gesture of humanity that, Danny hopes, will inspire others. 'I urge companies and captains of industry who love music, who've had great nights made better by great performers, to lend a helping hand,' Danny said. 'It makes all the difference.' For decades, Malaysian club artistes have lived in precarity. Gigs are scarce, fees are stagnant, and there's no formal retirement or healthcare safety net. Many have slipped through the cracks. The pandemic nearly broke the circuit altogether. Though music associations such as Musicians for Musicians and Karyawan have held benefit events, the reality remains: support is often temporary, while need is constant. Danny sees the gaps. He fills them, one fundraiser at a time. 'I'm not a musician. But I've seen their hearts. And when the gigs are gone, when the lights go dim, someone needs to stand in that space,' he said. 'That's why I'm here.' He doesn't do it for thanks. But if you ask those who've benefited, from guitarists sidelined by stroke to singers silenced by surgery, they'll say Danny is a rare person: a man who doesn't just love music, but truly honours the people who make it. In a scene too often defined by hustle and heartbreak, Danny's presence is a reminder that compassion is its own kind of headline act. - Frankie D'Cruz, FMT
