By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 21: The rising number of vehicles bearing Kalimantan Barat (KB) licence plates on Kuching roads reflects the increasing presence of Indonesian visitors from across the border.
Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pointed out that cross-border movement from Sarawak’s neighbouring province in Indonesia has been particularly noticeable, especially with more Kalimantan vehicles seen travelling into Kuching.
“You can see it for yourself—the cars on the road. There are so many with KB licence plates. They are all from that province of Kalimantan Barat.
“Whenever they come here, they support our hospitality industry. They support our hotels and all that,” he said during the launch of the ‘Neighbours in Heart, Friendship in Art’ Brunei-Sarawak joint art exhibition at the Borneo Cultures Museum today.
He also highlighted Brunei’s role as Sarawak’s largest tourism contributor, with monthly arrivals recorded at no less than 150,000 Bruneians, a number projected to exceed 200,000 per month between June and December.
“That is why we have to maintain a very good relationship with Brunei,” he stressed, pointing to Sarawak’s longstanding people-to-people and tourism links with its northern neighbour.
Abdul Karim emphasised that positive ties with both Brunei and Kalimantan Barat are key to growing Sarawak’s tourism sector, particularly through cultural and economic exchanges that benefit all parties.
The ‘Neighbours in Heart, Friendship in Art’ exhibition runs from June 20 to 26 at the Borneo Cultures Museum, featuring 99 paintings by 64 artists from Sarawak and Brunei.
Organised by the Sarawak Artists Society with support from the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Brunei Darussalam, Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Brunei (STATOB), and the Sarawak Museum Department, the event also includes art talks and live demonstrations to engage the public and promote cultural appreciation. – DayakDaily
