Rainforest World Music Festival not going anywhere

SANTUBONG: Sarawak is not entertaining any thoughts about moving the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) out of Sarawak.
Doing so may make commercial sense but Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah is convinced that there is greater value in hosting it here like always.
Now in its 28th year the RWMF, one of Asia’s most celebrated cultural and musical events, continues to grow in international prominence, drawing artists and audiences from around the world.
The organisers insist the festival’s strength lies in its connection to the local environment, communities, and traditions, an experience that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
Abdul Karim said RWMF’s authenticity lies in its location, with Sarawak’s lush, cultural landscape of the Sarawak Cultural Village at the foot of Mount Santubong.
“We are not very commercial in a way, we love the state. As much as possible, we would want the RWMF to stay put in Sarawak,” he said after a walkabout at the performance ground today.
He said from a commercial viewpoint the question is why not start franchising the event since the brand name is already known worldwide, and, in the process, make more money.
“Our mission is more to promote culture, to get the global ethnic to perform, and I can see that those performers that come in, they are very happy.
“Apart from that, it gives you a sense of belonging, a sense of pride, especially when we do it in Sarawak. This is the place where it was born 28 years ago.”
The decision to keep RWMF at its original location comes amid suggestions to expand its concept to other states or countries.
“Maybe a future Minister of Tourism’s vision might look at it differently. But for me and my team now, I think we will stay put,” he said.
Explaining, Abdul Karim pointed to the astonishing numbers of visitors who came for the RWMF, accounting for almost 30,000 people.
And this year alone, the RWMF brought in almost 200 performers from 20 countries.
“Some of them (the performers) might not be that big, but if 10, 20 are from each band, you can imagine the number of supporters, visitors that will help support our tourism industry,” he said.
“We will still maintain that (foreign bands), we will not make it exclusively only for Sarawak bands because this is supposed to be a global stage for all ethnicity from all over the world,” he said.
On Visit Malaysia Year 2026, Abdul Karim said Sarawak will be the only state in Malaysia to have its own airline, following the acquisition of MASwings, now renamed as AirBorneo, which will commence operations next year.
“We have got our plans in the pipeline,” he said, adding that the airline would first operate regionally within Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
“After that, probably in the next few years, it will go out of this region. It will grow very fast. With good management, I believe this airline will go very far,” he said.