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Borneo Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Abd Karim: Criticism over Affin Bank hornbill gaffe blown out of proportion
Abdul Karim speaks to reporters when met at the DUN Complex. — Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad KUCHING (May 19) Criticism over the 'wrong' hornbill species used on the Affin Bank's Kenyalang Card is a non-issue blown out of proportion, said Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. He said the depiction of the hornbill on the card should not be turned into a controversy, adding that the focus should be on the positive intention behind the design. 'That should not have been made into an issue, because there are so many varieties of the hornbill. The intention was to have a hornbill as part of the card's design and I think what they have done is something good,' he told reporters at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today. He thus dismissed the distinction as insignificant, arguing that people should not be narrow-minded, and questioned whether it must specifically be 'this hornbill or that hornbill'. He also opined there was no need to change the logo or design, as the symbolic association with Sarawak remained intact. 'Does the mascot need to look exactly like a real hornbill? The moment someone sees it, it's recognisable as a '(burung) kenyalang', which is synonymous with Sarawak. 'Personally, I view this as an overreaction—making a mountain out of a molehill. Whether the hornbill horn (casque) is going up or going down, that's not an issue. When you see the bird, you know it's a hornbill. So, what's the issue there? 'I believe Affin has good intentions. Why create all these very petty issues and turn them into something big? There are many other issues that can be raised, such as issues that matter to the people—not issues related to a bank card and the hornbill,' he said. He further compared the situation to the many types of common birds, such as the 'burung pipit', which is a local term for small sparrow-like birds, pointing out that just as there were various species of these, the same applied to hornbills. Apart from that, it was his understanding the card was only issued in Sarawak and meant to reflect the state, saying the government saw no pressing need for any correction or apology from Affin Bank. Abdul Karim was responding to recent remarks made by Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, who had criticised Affin Bank for using the image of the Great Hornbill on a card meant to represent Sarawak. Yong described it as a 'cultural misrepresentation', noting that the Great Hornbill was not native to the state and differed from the Rhinoceros Hornbill, or 'Burung Kenyalang', which is Sarawak's state bird. Abdul Karim Affin Bank Kenyalang Card lead
Borneo Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
‘Not our kenyalang': Affin Bank slammed for mistaking Sarawak's iconic hornbill
Yong highlights the difference between the hornbill species during the dinner. KUCHING (May 16): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak organising secretary Violet Yong has called on Affin Bank to issue a correction and public apology for using the wrong hornbill species on a bank card designed to represent Sarawak, calling it a 'cultural misrepresentation'. Speaking during a DAP Sarawak fundraising dinner here on Thursday, Yong said that the hornbill depicted is the 'Great Hornbill' – a species not native to Sarawak. 'The Hornbill shown on the card is called the Great Hornbill which can only be found in West Malaysia, India, China, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others. 'It is not the Rhinoceros Hornbill or locally known as 'Burung Kenyalang', the state bird of Sarawak and how can Affin Bank use a wrong identity to represent Sarawak?. 'The Sarawak state hornbill has a black neck, while the one on the card has a white neck, confirming it is the wrong species,' she said. Given that the Sarawak government holds a 31.25 per cent stake in Affin Bank, Yong expressed disappointment that such a mistake occurred. 'This should not have happened as the card is meant to represent Sarawak and none of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders pointed this out. 'If this card is our pride, Affin should use the correct hornbill species for it as I believe that the card's graphic designer is not a Sarawakian,' she emphasised. Yong urged the bank to recall the card and replace it with the correct image of the Rhinoceros Hornbill, while also issuing a formal apology to the people of Sarawak. As of press time, Affin Bank has yet to issue a public response on the matter. The event, themed 'Rocket Night', drew over 1,000 attendees and was graced by DAP Malaysia chairman Gobind Singh Deo, who is also Digital Minister cum Damansara MP. Its publicity secretary cum Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, meanwhile, delivered his speech via live video conference while abroad. Present were DAP Sarawak chairman cum Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen; vice chairman cum Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol; assistant publicity secretary Michael Kong, DAP Johor secretary Andrew Chen; and event organising chairman Sim Kiat Leng. Affin Bank dap hornbill kenyalang violet yong
