KUCHING, May 8: The Sarawak Malay Cultural Foundation Charitable Trust (AKYBMS) is set to send a Malay Nusantara ensemble group to partake in the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) scheduled to take place in June.
Deputy Premier and AKYBMS chairman Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan emphasised that the Foundation is working with the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts to secure recognition for select Sarawak Malay cultural heritage pieces, proposing their inclusion in the Sarawak Heritage List and nomination as world heritage sites under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
“Several Jawi-Malay handwritten works and manuscripts will be proposed for consideration this year,” he said in a news report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas).
Addressing the Samarindok Aidilfitri gathering organised by AKYBMS on Tuesday (May 7), Awang Tengah highlighted that novels including Hikayat Panglima Nikosa (1876) and Hikayat Datuk Marapati (1932), Datu Marapati syair (1885), Tarsilah Cetera Datuk Gudam and Temenggong Kadir syair (1942) and manuscripts on Banting history and laws are among the cultural heritage pieces to be proposed.
The event was graced by the Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and his wife Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang.
Also present were Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, and AKYBMS general manager Datu Dr Sanib Said. — DayakDaily
