now a permanent venue for Aiffa - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 18 Jun 2014 12:50 PM PDT

by Wilfred Pilo, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 19, 2014, Thursday

KUCHING: Kuching has been chosen as a permanent venue for Asean International Film Festival and Awards (Aiffa), which is held once in every two years.

Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the proposal to make Kuching the permanent venue was made and endorsed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Ministers meeting at Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) held here earlier this year.

He said on Tuesday night that the event would start next year and the state Tourism Ministry was all prepared and really looking forward to be the host.

"Kuching was chosen as a permanent host for Aiffa because our culture is unique, secondly for its security and safety and thirdly our landscape is very suitable…we are ready and we can hold it because of the success of Aiffa 2013," he said during a dinner at Magenta Restaurant.

The dinner was to bid farewell to the out-going staff of Tourism Ministry.

He also said Kuching Waterfront and Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) where films can be shot were the added attraction in choosing Kuching.

The Housing Minister pointed out that Kuching's success in hosting Aiffa 2013 was mentioned by Minister of Tourism and Culture Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz at the Federal Cabinet meeting.

He believes that choosing Kuching as the permanent venue will have a positive impact on the local tourism industry, adding with the endorsement by these Asean countries and the federal government, Aiffa will be now not just a state event but a national affair.

"The state will benefit with these new tourism products as it involves arts and fashions and in conjunction with that we will hold a fashion extravaganza in Kuching, showcasing Islamic and Western fashion and also that from the Asean countries."

Abang Johari said the festival can last for one week because there will be film directors, cameramen and script writers who will have their own workshops.

"This will be good for the country and especially the state as our indigenous talents can be developed through this involvement in the workshop, just like what happened during the Borneo Music Festival where our indigenous musicians were brought to world stage," he enthused.

"Busan in South Korea, Hong Kong and Caines in Europe were developed through this kind of film festival and all these film makers do not want to hold such event in big cities and Kuching is ideal," he further explained, thus making Kuching City a destination for artistes and fans.

Also present at the dinner were his wife Datin Amar Jumaani Tuank Bujang, Assistant Minister of Tourism (Local Events and Products) Datuk Gramong Juna and permanent secretary to Ministry of Tourism Datu Ik Pahon Joyik.

HAP-piness for <b>Kuching's</b> Special Olympics - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 19 Jun 2014 11:31 AM PDT

by Jacob Achoi reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 20, 2014, Friday

KUCHING: Special Olympics (Sarawak Kuching Chapter) has received all round support from the corporate sector for the coming 'Healthy Athletes Programme' (HAP) 2014 to be held at SMK Demak Baru in Petra Jaya from June 20- 22.

This was announced by president of Special Olympics (Kuching Chapter), Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zain yesterday.

She said many companies had come forward to sponsor in cash and in kind. "We take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors and those who have supported us in this programme which is aimed to provide free health screening to our athletes," she said.

According to her, the latest to come forward and to sponsor the programme is the Sarawak branch of Association of Malay Importers and Traders of Motor Vehicles Malaysia (Pekema) led by its president Datuk Abang Khalid Marzuki.

"Their sponsorship is very much appreciated because we do need funds to run the show in view of the large number of athletes who are actually school children with learning difficulties and those intellectually challenged," she added.

She said a total of 180 athletes from various schools with special education classes and Community-based Rehabilitation Centres (PDKs) are expected to participate in the HAP to be conducted by volunteers from state Health Department and Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) with the support from Education Department and Welfare Department (JKM).

The three-day event will also involve over 200 volunteers comprising health professionals like doctors, nurses, medical assistants, students and even the athletes' teachers.

Special Olympics Sarawak is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which is dedicated to athletes with intellectual disabilities but they undergo training and compete in various sports and games such as football, athletics, bowling, bocce, swimming, tennis and golf.

"The Healthy Athletes Programme will give our athletes access to free professional health screening so that they can be physically fit for training, compete in sports and games that they like most of all to live life to the fullest," said Dayang Mariani.

"The last time we had a similar event like this was in 2010 and it was held at Kota Samarahan," she said of the event which was also held in Miri on Novr 3 last year in conjunction with the state level Special Olympics Games 2013.

"The HAP in Kuching is expected to one of the largest to be held so far because it will involve athletes who are actually students attending special education classes in schools and also those from various PDKs," she added.

Earlier, Dayang Mariani briefed Abang Khalid on the aims of HAP which is also to improve the lives of the target group concerned and it acts as a holistic approach in ensuring the athletes' well-being.

Abang Khalid also expressed hope for the programme to be successful and for more of similar events to be held for the benefits of the target group.

He said Pekema Sarawak had sponsored many charitable organisations and community related activities as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards the society.

Kuching now a permanent venue for Aiffa - The Borneo Post Online

<b>Kuching</b> now a permanent venue for Aiffa - The Borneo Post Online

Comment

Archive