Latest news with #Raffy
Daily Express
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
Fourth Borneo Native Fest May 23 to 25
Published on: Sunday, May 18, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 18, 2025 By: Lorena Binisol Text Size: From left: Paul, Shazrean, Raffy and Juinah during the press conference. Kota Kinabalu: The Borneo Native Festival (BNF) is back for its fourth year, promising an exciting celebration of Borneo's diverse cultures, traditions and heritage. It would be held from May 23 to 25 at Central Market (Pasar Seni) in Kuala Lumpur from 10am to 10pm daily. Advertisement Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), the Festival is a platform for indigenous communities from Sabah and Sarawak living in Kuala Lumpur, local residents and international visitors ahead of Hari Gawai (June 1) in Sarawak and Pesta Kaamatan (May 30-31) in Sabah, two significant festivals marking the rice harvest season. Deputy Minister of Economy Dato Hajah Hanifah Hajar Tun Pehin Sri Hj Abdul Taib is expected to officiate the event, representing the Prime Minister. According to BNF President Raffy Syazwan Arpandi, the festival will feature cultural competitions, performances and exhibitions. One of the highlights is the Miss Ethnic Competition where contestants from various ethnic groups will showcase their traditional attire while sharing their cultural identity. Advertisement The Borneo Cultural Dance Competition will present captivating age-old dances that preserve the folklore and heritage of Sabah and Sarawak. Visitors can also explore locally produced goods such as handwoven textiles, jewellery, organic skincare and handicrafts. Food lovers will enjoy authentic Bornean delicacies like Kek Lapis, Hinava (pickled raw fish), Tuak and Lihing (rice wine), with an array of street food showcasing Bornean flavours. The event will also feature food preparation demonstrations, showcasing Borneo's traditional cuisine. Linopot, a Sabahan delicacy, which is expected to be a crowd favourite this year. 'From the last three events, I noticed visitors always look forward to our traditional food and drinks. This is our highlight this time,' said Raffy, adding Linopot will be among the foods served and demonstrated. For a hands-on experience, arts workshops will offer opportunities to learn traditional weaving, beadwork and pottery-making. Adding to the festivities, the Borneo Beatz Concert will feature a fusion of indigenous sounds and contemporary music, together with performances by Tuni Sundatang. The Mob Dance, a communal dance event, will invite Festival-goers to participate in an inclusive movement experience, fostering unity and engagement. Raffy also emphasised the Festival's commitment in uplifting Sabahan and Sarawakian communities in Kuala Lumpur. Government agencies such as DIDR, Scenic and IDS are involved in promoting local vendors and their products. 'This is a way to introduce our cultures to others while also attracting millennials, locals and tourists alike. 'It will be like a pre-introduction to the Hari Gawai and Pesta Kaamatan celebrations, encouraging visitors to later experience the festivals in Sabah and Sarawak,' said Raffy. Scenic, under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Sabah, aimed to provide market access for social entrepreneurs and raise awareness for their products outside Sabah. This year, 11 social entrepreneurs will participate, showcasing crafts, food, beverages and health industry products. Since its inaugural event in 2022, Scenic had been a strong supporter of BNF. IDS representative Paul Canigea emphasised their mission to uplift local entrepreneurs from the grassroots level, providing them exposure to new markets. 'National events like BNF expose vendors to a larger audience and help them gain confidence,' said Paul. This year, IDS is bringing two entrepreneurs, namely Hanissa Boumin from Kota Marudu, one of Sabah's poorest districts, who will present her innovative craft work using banana fibres, and Jess Boubie from Kota Belud, who will showcase her traditional brass jewellery. DIDR representative Juinah Lipat said 12 social entrepreneurs will showcase their local products, helping to elevate the status of vendors. DIDR is joining BNF for the first time and looks forward to increased participation in the future. One of the standout vendors will be promoting Linopot (wrapped rice), a traditional Sabahan delicacy. Raffy noted that 60pc to 70pc of BNF revolves around social entrepreneurs and their products, while the remaining portion consists of entertainment elements such as singers, dances, and performances. Popular local singer Dabra Sia from Sabah is among the entertainers set to perform at BNF 2025. As Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, Raffy said BNF serves as a timely cultural event to promote the country ahead of the campaign. 'The festival is also a platform for unity, bringing communities together while elevating local entrepreneurs and boosting their economy,' he added. Music, singing, and dancing, he noted, are powerful ways to unite Malaysians through culture. Reflecting on the festival's growth, Raffy shared that the first BNF event attracted around 20,000 visitors, and the number has continued to increase every year. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * 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
Borneo Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Borneo Native Festival returns to KL
(Seated, from left to right): Paul, Shazrean, Raffy and Juinah at the press conference. 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.
