KUCHING: The Festival Gendang Sarawak (FGS) has been established as a benchmark cultural tourism programme under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
Director-General of the National Department for Culture and Arts of Sarawak (JKKN), Amran Haris, said that FGS 2025 has become an important platform to celebrate and elevate the art of traditional Malay drumming, a heritage deeply rooted in Sarawak’s cultural traditions.
“This festival has become an annual highlight for the people of Sarawak and has been recognised as a signature programme jointly organised by the Federal Government and the Sarawak State Government.
“Various activities have been planned to further promote and enliven the Sarawak Drum Festival,” he said during the festival’s launch at Kuching Waterfront on Saturday night.
He added that MOTAC, through JKKN, has planned several enhancements, including organising regional-level Malay Drum Competition screenings across all divisions in Sarawak.
Amran also said that MOTAC, through JKKN, has approved funding under the Government Assistance Allocation Committee (JPBK) for 2025, amounting to RM1,218,000, which will benefit eight cultural arts associations in Sarawak.
Additionally, he said MOTAC has taken the initiative under its Tourism Recovery Plan to provide Cultural Sector Support Grants (GSSK) to cultural industry players for the year 2025.
A total of 15 associations in Sarawak have received these grants, with an overall allocation of RM710,000.
The MOTAC GSSK is a support grant provided to help cover part of the costs involved in organising arts, cultural and heritage-related programmes and activities.
Amran explained that MOTAC has allocated RM50 million for the GSSK in 2025, compared to RM30 million allocated the previous year.
“This grant is a government initiative announced under Budget 2025 to encourage and invigorate arts and cultural activities in support of the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026,” he said.
The launch was graced by His Royal Highness Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah, and Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, along with Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi.
Also present were Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof, and Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
