Music brings people together

Wong says RWMF while promoting Sarawak as a tourist destintation is also a get-together for people throughout the world

KUCHING: Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh believes that the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has a higher purpose other than promoting Sarawak as a tourist destination.

He believed the festival had helped to bring together people from all over the world, and broke down the psychological barriers that kept people apart.

“This is a difficult world (where) we are divided physically and geographically, and where we belong to different parts of the world, with different racial, religious and cultural backgrounds.

“But music is common to all. And so the RWMF in Sarawak is an event which of course helps to promote Sarawak tourism industry, but in some ways it also brings people from different parts of the world together through a common language that is music,” he said, after officiating at a sponsorship presentation between Shell Malaysia Exploration and Production, and the organisers of the 10th Rainforest World Music Festival, at a hotel here on Tuesday night.

Wonh, who is also Second Finance Minister, therefore invited people from throughout the world to RWMF; to see how music transcended all racial barriers.

“There is a psychological divide among us, and there is this unseen wall that divides us; either the racial wall, or the religious wall, or even the cultural wall.

“This wall has to be torn down in order to bring all of us together, because this wall could bring about suspicion, or even hostility, which could even bring about hatred,” he said, while pointing out that in some cases throughout the world, such psychological divide had resulted in wars.

As this year marked the 10th anniversary of the RWMF, Wong said more people and groups from more countries would converge at the festival venue - Sarawak Cultural Village.

“The way I see it, music festivals can bring people from all parts of the world together…and we can also see how much it brings all of us together.

“This is another reason why we spare no effort in organising this world event.”

Meanwhile, he commended Shell for sponsoring a “substantial sum of money” towards this year’s event.

“I hope what Shell has done would create a heightened awareness among other corporate leaders - to come forward to do what Shell has done for us.”

Shell Malaysia Exploration and Production head Wee Yiaw Hin said the company was proud to be RWMF’s newest corporate partner.

“We are always looking for involvement wherever we can, in sustainable development, and in arts and culture.

“So RWMF really presents a very good opportunity (as it is) a world-renowned event, and from the list of people (performing), it is very global and international,” said Wee, who is also the managing director of Sarawak Shell Bhd.

“RWMF is very successful through the partnership of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, and supported by Tourism Malaysia…and we are proud to be part of RWMF.”

Shell symbolically presented a mock cheque of RM125,000 to the organisers of this year’s festival, and have also committed to support the upcoming Miri International Jazz Festival as well.

That night, STB chief executive officer Gracie Geikie confirmed that 20 groups from 12 countries would be performing alongside several other groups from throughout the State and the country at this year’s edition of RWMF

She also revealed that ticket sales for RWMF has been “very good”, with about 4,000 already sold.

Geikie also announced that in conjunction with the festival’s 10th anniversary celebration, the organisers were to come up with a commemorative 256-page limited edition book called ‘Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak - Music Without Borders’.

Also present at the event were Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Wee Hong Seng and Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) chief executive officer Jill Henry.

Written By:
Alexius Barieng
The Borneo Post
22nd March 2007