By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, April 3: Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah emphasises that Sarawak is eagerly anticipating the resumption of direct flights between Kuching and Pontianak but is currently waiting for the Indonesian government to permit more flights to depart their country.
Abdul Karim told reporters this in a press conference held today following the launch of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2023 at a hotel in Kuching.
“We hope there are flights from Pontianak to Kuching, but the problem is not in Sarawak. We are more than ready to welcome flights from Indonesia.
“However, the Indonesian government currently only allows flights to depart from eight cities within the country, including Jakarta and Bali.
“Pontianak is not yet included, so we are still waiting for direct flights from Pontianak to Kuching to begin,” he explained.
Furthermore, Abdul Karim, also Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), was asked if the state had any plans to upgrade the Sarawak State Stadium so that large-scale international concerts could be held there.
“We will take it one at a time. Presently, our stadium is for sports events,” he said.
However, he continued, plans are already underway to construct a second convention centre in Kuching.
“The current one is now considered small. However, with the number of business conventions we are organising, we are planning one large one (convention centre) in Kuching that can accommodate up to 10,000 visitors and be used as a concert hall once completed.
“Likewise, depending on the crowd, our Sarawak State Stadium can be used as a concert hall,” he added. — DayakDaily
