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KUCHING, Sept 18: Ashley Soh and Dion Das Louis were crowned as champions in inaugural Kuching Busking Festival (KBF) 2023.
They each walked away with RM2,000 and a trophy for their respective category (Category A and B) after impressing the jury with their performances.
Category C champions Mine Dance Team also won the ‘People’s Choice Category’, bagging RM1,500 and RM500 including a trophy.
Soh, 63, took command of the stage and got the crowd to sing together from his first song ‘Guan Tana Mera’, followed by two other songs before ending it with a Chinese song.
He was given a big hand by the crowd who enjoy the lively, entertaining and quirky performance.
Meanwhile, 7-year-old Dion from SK Green Road, awed the audience with his ‘bird’ outfit and dance routine.
Dion performed an ethnic contemporary dance inspired by the great beautiful ‘Burung Ruai’ (the great Argus), thrilling the crowd with his energetic dance and agile movements.
Speaking during the event, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Kuching Busking Festival has the potential to become a big event attracting local and international participants.
Apart from that, he said, Kuching also has a number of buskers and it will be an opportunity to help them grow.
“Just like other festivals, I do hope it can evolve from a small to a big festival, much like Sarawak’s very own homegrown Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).
“Perhaps, 10 or 20 years down the road, we (ministry) can and will continue to support this KBF so that it reaches another level that not only accommodates buskers in this region but also those from around the world
“I hope KBF will grow up to that level too,” he added. — DayakDaily
