Published on: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 |
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Bolkiah Ismail, said this when giving the latest update on the festival at a press conference held at the Ministry in Wisma Tun Fuad Stephens, here, Tuesday.
He said there are five main events in the festival including a Cultural Parade along the street from Wisma Budaya to Kota Kinabalu Community Hall, here, on July 10, starting at 2pm.
The parade, jointly organised by City Hall and Sabah Cultural Board, would involve all the 832 members of the participating local and international folk dance troupes.
An International Folk Arts would also be held at the Ming Garden Hotel, here, from July 9 to 15, to display the artworks and weaving of the Melbourne Australian aborigines, apart from that of the local art enthusiasts.
A Local Folkdance Competition would take place at Sabah Cultural Centre in Penampang from July 11-12, to be participated by eight primary and eight secondary schools from throughout the country.
Participating in the contest for the primary school category would be SK Ulu Lubai, Limbang, Sarawak; SK Seksyen Enam Shah Alam, Selangor; SK Perempuan Methodist Kuantan, Pahang; SK Pekan Kinarut, Papar; SK St Agnes, Likas, Kota Kinabalu; SK St Francis Convent, Kota Kinabalu; SK Nalapak, Ranau,; and SK Sapulut in Nabawan/Pensiangan.
"It is also a great honour for us because one of the members of the folk dance troupe from Pahang actually is a close member of the royal family," said Bolkiah.
As for the secondary school category, the participants include Sekolah Seni Malaysia Kuching, Sarawak; Sekolah Seni Johor Bahru, Johor; SMK Bukit Garam II, Kota Kinabatangan; SMK Kolombong, Kota Kinabalu; SMK Arshad, Kota Belud; SMK Lohan, Ranau; SMK Desa Wawasan, Tambunan; and SMK Sapulut, Nabawan/Pensiangan.
Inviting the public to all these events, he said the entrance tickets for the Local Folkdance Competition would be RM10 for adults and RM5 for children (below 17).
The International Folkdance Competition would also be held at the Sabah Cultural Centre from July 14-15. The confirmed participants are Czech Republic by folkdance troupe Soubor Pisni A Tancu Dylen Karlovy Vary; Poland (ZTL PP Poligrodzianie); Finland (Annat ja Antit); Latvia (Ligo); Thailand (Angthong College of Dramatic Arts Group); Sri Lanka (Ranranga Dance Academy); Philippines (Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe); Brunei Darussalam (Badan Kesenian dan Kebudayaan Pesaka); South Korea (Yaewon-Chumsawee Dance Company); East Timor (Santo Antonio Group); Kuwait (Kuwait National Musical Band); Egypt (Elsharkia Folkloric Troupe); Papua New Guinea (Harrington Gaso); Kazakstan (Akku); Nigeria (State Cultural Troupe); Taiwan (Aboriginal Youth Folk Dance Team of Szu-chen Junior High School); China (Zhu Hai Hansen Dancing Group) and Indonesia (Sanggar Bedewa Kabupaten Nunukan).
The Czech Republic, Finland, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Kuwait, Papua New Guinea and Nigeria would be taking part for the first time in the festival.
There would be entrance fees, that is RM50 for First Class seats, RM30 for adults and children, RM10.
Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin is scheduled to grace the closing of this event.
To make the festival more merry, a Sabah Traditional Food Fair would be held at Penampang Sports Complex from July 10-15, to start from 9am-9pm, to be participated by 12 ethnic groups.
Bolkiah said other events that would also be held during the festival is the Prime Show to be hosted by the Head of State at the Magellan Sutera on July 13, to start at 7pm, involving performances from the international folk dance troupes, as well as sightseeing activities for the participants, among others.
To a question, Bolkiah said they would look into the possibility of providing shuttle bus services for the public and tourists to go and watch the events at the Sabah Cultural Centre.
He also witnessed the presentation of a RM10,000 contribution from Malakun Holdings Sdn Bhd, which was presented by its Managing Director Datuk Clarence Bongkos Malakun's daughter, Sabrina, on his behalf to Datuk Wences Angang, the Sabah Cultural Board Chairman.
