By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 15: A 16-year-old girl wearing a hijab took the stage at the Kuching Festival Oriental Traditional Music 2025 concert tonight and left the audience in awe as she sang two beloved Chinese classics—Mo Li Hua and Tian Mi Mi—in a performance that perfectly embodied Sarawak’s spirit of unity in diversity.
Chinta Umairah Mohd Sultannirzam joined the Felis Catus Traditional Ensemble from Sekolah Seni Malaysia Sarawak (SSeMS) as part of their set at the MBKS Theatre, delivering the Mandarin songs with poise and emotion despite not being able to speak the language.
Watch Chinta Umairah’s rendition of Tian Mi Mi here.
Backstage after the show, Chinta told DayakDaily that she trained intensively for just three days under the guidance of her Chinese-speaking teacher to prepare for the performance.
“I don’t speak Chinese at all, so the hardest part was learning the differences in pronunciation and enunciation. It was really hard.
“But to me, it was worth it, especially because I felt I gave my best performance tonight,” she said.
Her daily rehearsals ran from 3.30pm to 5pm, and again from 7.30pm to 9pm in the days leading up to the concert.
For the crowd, the sight of a young Malay girl in a hijab singing Mandarin songs with confidence was more than just a musical act—it was a moment that reflected the very heart of Sarawak’s multicultural harmony.
The Kuching Festival Oriental Traditional Music concert, organised by Kuching South City Council (MBKS), featured a line-up of multicultural performances including ensembles from the Hindu Temple Association Kuching, Dayak Cultural Foundation, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), culminating in a mass performance of Bekikis Bulu Betis conducted by Majlis Seni Sarawak (MSS).
Earlier in his speech, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, said the concert reflected MBKS’s commitment to inclusivity.
“In the past, this concert was mostly about Chinese instrumental music. But this year, we’ve made it bigger, richer and more exciting by adding traditional instruments from other ethnic groups in Sarawak.
“Different sounds, different cultures, all sharing the same stage. This is what we call Satu Sarawak—harmony in diversity, unity in music,” he said.
Wee likened the music to the spirit of Kuching South.
“One instrument can play a beautiful tune, but when different instruments join in, the music becomes fuller, stronger and more beautiful.
“That’s the same spirit we live by in Kuching South—different people, different backgrounds, living, working and celebrating together,” he added.
Also present at the concert were MBKS deputy mayor Dato Zaiedi Suhaili, Kuching Festival 2025 organising chairman Isaac Lee, and Traditional Oriental Music Performance 2025 organising chairman Cr Bong Siak Peng.
The Kuching Festival, which began on July 25, will conclude in three days, closing another chapter of music, food, and festivities for the city.
— DayakDaily
