Kota Kinabalu: A group from China is keen to work with Sabah on significant events, one of which is a music festival.
This was conveyed to State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai during a courtesy call on Friday (Feb 10).
Hong Kong International Musician Association Chief Executive Officer Jye Lee proposed a Sabah Borneo International Music Festival that features competitions, forums and master classes, among others.
The group visited the Sabah International Convention Centre to assess the venue’s suitability for events and had found it to have promising possibilities.
The Hong Kong International Musician Association is a professional organisation to promote music art around the world.
The association has a global reach and has been involved in more than 600 music events across the globe.
“We aim to offer an international stage for all the musicians, and we believe the Sabah Borneo International Music Festival could potentially attract about 10,000 participants, including family members,” he said.
Joniston said Sabah is looking into hosting more international events in the hope of attracting more tourists and attracting economic investment, both of which would be to the benefit of the State and locals.
“This is an excellent idea because we want to host a homegrown event. I can see the possibility of working together, and given the association’s global connections and performances, Sabah can take advantage of this network.
“It’s high time Sabah has its very own music festival, and I’m confident we can entice musicians to visit, discover and draw inspiration from our State’s rich culture and landscape,” he said.
Joniston added that the Sabah Tourism Board is keen to understand what the association has to offer and suggested that the group prepare a proposal paper.
* 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.