ASAJAYA, Dec 5 — Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg envisioned that Sarawak would soon be able to produce television (TV) shows and dramas comparable to popular South Korean shows.
He said with the establishment of Sarawak’s very own TV station, TV Sarawak, the potential for the state to develop its talents in arts and culture were endless, and at the same time would serve as an opportunity for the youth to showcase their talents in arts and culture not only in the country but also globally.
“If (South) Korea has Winter Sonata, Sarawak can have Asajaya (TV drama) so we can promote our culture to the world.
“That is why I established Sarawak’s very own TV station to showcase our culture and artistic talents,” he said during the launch of the state level Youth Day celebration at the Asajaya Sports Complex here this morning.
He said the state government has implemented several initiatives for the development of youth in Sarawak to help the state achieve a developed status by the year 2030.
One of them, he said, which the state government had invested heavily on, was in arts and culture.
He said the state government had allocated more than RM160 million to develop the Sarawak Performing Arts Centre to repurpose the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) building to develop the state’s arts and culture industry, including music and TV.
He put forward several gleaming examples where Sarawakian youth were able to make the state proud not only in the eyes of the country but also internationally.
Abang Johari named Hafiz Suib and Bob Yusof from Akademi Fantasia, Alena Murang for winning the ‘Best Styling Award’ at the Bueno Aires Music Video Festival in Argentina, and successful Malaysian singer Dayang Nurfaizah from Kuching, who were successful in their performing arts career and at the same time highlighted Sarawak on the world stage.
Apart from performing arts, Abang Johari also said that the state government is also focusing on sports development to tap undiscovered athletic talents among Sarawakian youth.
He put forth the success of Sarawakian national diver and Olympic medalist Pandelela Rinong as an example.
“We want to train good athletes. That is why the state government through Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s (Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister) ministry wants to set up a sports academy in Sarawak.
“Me and my colleagues in the state government have agreed to set up this sports academy, with a considerable amount of allocation,” he said without revealing how much it was.
Abang Johari said the state government put these initiatives in place so that Sarawakian youths would be able to continue the state’s leadership and play their part when Sarawak achieved a developed status by the year 2030.
“We are already old. From (Yang di-Pertua Negeri) Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who had developed Samarahan, continued by the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, and now me, we can only provide a platform for the youth so that they can play their part when Sarawak becomes a developed state by the year 2030,” he said. — Borneo Post