By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Feb 18: DayakDaily today has officially flagged off the seventh edition of its annual travel writing initiative, D’Drift, with the launch of D’Drift 2026: Tracing Stories Along the Coastal Road, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to promoting Sarawak as a unique and compelling tourism destination.
Organised by DayakDaily since 2020 and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP), D’Drift has grown into a signature storytelling project that showcases Sarawak’s hidden gems, particularly its small towns, villages and settlements. Through immersive travel writing, the initiative seeks to inspire both Sarawakians and non-Sarawakians, including audiences from Peninsular Malaysia and beyond, to rediscover the Land of Kenyalang through fresh and meaningful narratives.
For this seventh edition, a team of DayakDaily journalists will embark on a captivating 10-day journey along Sarawak’s coastal road. The expedition will delve into the soul of the coastline by uncovering traditions, folklores, and legends passed down through generations. These stories will explore the quiet charm of life along Sarawak’s coastline, from its people and culinary offerings to its cultural nuances and everyday rhythms of life.
The flag-off ceremony, held at DayakDaily’s office, was once again officiated by the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, a steadfast patron who has supported the D’Drift initiative since its inception.
In his speech, Abdul Karim described hands-on storytelling as one of the most effective ways to promote Sarawak.
“Well, to promote Sarawak there are of course so many ways, apart from doing events and things like that.
“I can see that going to the ground hands-on and being able to feel what is on the ground such as the food, the culture, the people, how they live their life, and putting them in words, I find it to be very interesting and it’s a very good way to promote Sarawak,” he said.
He noted that such lived experiences help readers appreciate Sarawak’s diversity and different outlooks, not just foreigners but also locals and Malaysians from other states.
Touching on this year’s coastal route from Asajaya to Miri, he said the journey is significant as many of Sarawak’s major towns historically developed along river mouths and coastal areas before road networks were established.
“When you travel that way, you will be able to see how development has progressed throughout the years. That is what Sarawak is,” he said, adding that the team’s choice to stay in modest accommodations allows them to reflect the real experiences of the masses.
He assured that the Ministry and the State government would continue supporting the initiative as a platform to disseminate information about Sarawak to both locals and international audiences.
Also present during the launch ceremony were Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) permanent secretary Morshidi Fredrick, Business Event Sarawak (BESarawak) acting chief executive officer Jason Tan, MTCP Events Section head Tracy Evon, Pertubuhan Wartawan Bebas Kuching (Pewarta) president Peter Sibon, DayakDaily chief editor Karen Bong and DayakDaily writer Wilfred Pilo.
The D’Drift initiative is driven by a multi-pronged objective to promote Sarawak’s tourism potential, particularly in lesser-known towns and settlements, while preserving the State’s fading folklores, legends and myths. Through immersive storytelling and engagement with Sarawak’s wide and diverse communities, the project aims to document oral traditions at risk of being lost and reconnects readers, especially younger audiences, with Sarawak’s cultural roots.
Since its launch, D’Drift has traversed diverse regions across Sarawak, including Ulu Baram, Ulu Belaga and various interior areas, consistently advocating sustainable tourism and meaningful community engagement. Beyond storytelling, the initiative has helped bring visibility to often-overlooked communities, supporting more inclusive progress and ensuring that development and opportunities extend to them as Sarawak advances towards its goal of becoming a fully developed State by 2030.
Similarly, this edition of D’Drift takes the journey along Sarawak’s coastal road to shine a light on communities that are integral to the State’s identity. By documenting local cultures, traditions and legends, the project celebrates Sarawak’s heritage while supporting inclusive development, ensuring that progress continues to reach these communities.
Through D’Drift 2026, DayakDaily aims to continue to champion stories that matter, stories that connect people to place, heritage and identity, while inviting the world to see Sarawak through a more thoughtful and human lens. — DayakDaily
