By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 7: Kuala Lumpur can learn from Kuching’s approach to turning a food festival into a wider ecosystem involving youth, businesses, community farming, waste management and tourism, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh.
Yeoh said her second visit to the Kuching Festival this evening, together with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud and his team, was aimed at exploring how the concept could be adapted in Kuala Lumpur.
She said her first encounter with the festival was during SUKMA, when her daughters discovered it on TikTok and encouraged her to visit.
“I came and I felt the concept was very unique and very vibrant. There is a lot of youth and young people’s energy, and it was very clean,” she said during a doorstep interview with the media during the festival tour with Fadlun and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng.
Yeoh said after taking over the Federal Territories portfolio, she informed DBKL that its officers should visit Kuching to study how the festival was organised and how fresh ideas from young people were incorporated.
“We are here today to look into the entire ecosystem, not just this food festival, but also the ecosystem from farm to marketing.
“How you actually activate so many different industries based on one concept of just promoting food culture here,” she said.
She said there was also potential for DBKL and MBKS to collaborate and exchange ideas in areas such as outdoor dining, waste management, business licensing and community farming.
Yeoh noted that both Kuala Lumpur and Kuching have diverse, multiracial populations, providing opportunities for both cities to learn from each other in terms of urban policies and community-based initiatives.
She cited MBKS’ Natural Farmers Market as another initiative that could provide learning opportunities for Kuala Lumpur.
“It’s a very short trip. We are just here for one night, then tomorrow we are back already,” she said, adding that DBKL had brought along its licensing officer and officer in charge of festivals.
Yeoh said discussions were also held with Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah on concerts and their standard operating procedures (SOPs), particularly as Kuala Lumpur also hosts events such as electronic dance music (EDM) concerts.
She said DBKL was looking at streamlining its concert approval procedures through a one-stop centre.
Meanwhile, Fadlun described the visit as a good experience, saying the Kuching Festival concept was something new for Kuala Lumpur.
“We are only halfway through the tour. Once we finish, we may have a better view of the overall concept, but this is something new for us in Kuala Lumpur.
“Maybe we can learn from Kuching South to adopt this concept in Kuala Lumpur. Just congratulations to you all,” he said.
Yeoh and Fadlun were hosted by Wee during their visit to the Kuching Festival, which is currently underway in Kuching. — DayakDaily
