Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Sibu Flute Fest as curtain-raiser for VMY 2007

SIBU - An International Flute Music Festival will be held here in October as a curtain-raiser of the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 programmes for central Sarawak.

State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said acclaimed flutists from around the world would be invited to perform at the festival to be held at the Lake Garden in Permai Housing Estate during the annual Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF).

He said some of the international teams that would take part in the annual World Rainforest Music Festival at Santubong outside Kuching might be invited to perform at the BCF.

Another event being looked into is a 4x4 Adventure Challenge, he told reporters before launching a tourism magazine supplement for central Sarawak yesterday.

Also present was Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Gracie Giekie.

Wong said the central region would focus on its cultural heritage and agro-based tourism products to woo tourists.

"We hope to attract Chinese tourists to visit the sites where the first Chiang Chuan immigrants from China landed near Sibu in the 1880s and later the Foochows in 1901," he said.

A "Lamin Dana" or traditional Melanau tall house might be built at Sungai Seduan as a tribute to the Melanau who were the original inhabitants of Sibu, he added.

Wong also said Sibu would become a centre for religion-based tourism once the "Jade Dragon Heavenly Blessed" temple at 37km Ulu Oya Road is completed next year.

Source: BERNAMA

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