KUCHING: The ‘Jom Heboh’ carnival returns to Dataran Perayaan Petra Jaya this year, not only bringing entertainment to the public but also boosting the local economy through the participation of micro-entrepreneurs.
The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, stated that the three-day carnival, which started today, features more than 100 booths covering various sectors, including food, handicrafts, banking institutions, and healthcare services.
“Here, people not only can buy food and handicrafts but also have the opportunity to learn about EPF savings, open a bank account, and undergo health checkups. Everything is available under one roof,” he said during his visit today.
He added that ‘Jom Heboh’ serves as the perfect platform for strengthening family ties, as visitors have the chance to bring their children and other family members to enjoy themselves while gaining knowledge.
“This is the best platform to strengthen family bonds because while having fun, they can also learn about new fields such as entrepreneurship and banking,” he said.
Abdul Karim also mentioned that the presence of thousands of visitors throughout the carnival would undoubtedly help increase sales for vendors, thereby giving a boost to the local economy.
“It’s simple: when there is sugar, ants come. When events like this are organised, people will definitely show up. As a result, small entrepreneurs and food vendors will benefit, and even the banking sector will gain,” he explained.
He expressed hope that ‘Jom Heboh’ could be expanded to other cities in Sarawak so that its benefits can be enjoyed by a wider community, not just the people of Kuching.
Additionally, he mentioned that besides entertainment and knowledge-sharing, tomorrow night will heat up the atmosphere with a concert by popular local artist, Dayang Nurfaizah.
“This event is also balanced with religious content in conjunction with Maulidur Rasul tomorrow night,” he said.
