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RM20m Performing Arts Centre

Date Posted: 29 Jun 2009

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah will have its own Centre for Performing Arts here once a suitable site is identified for the project, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

He said RM20 million has been allocated for the setting up of the centre under the Sabah Corridor Development (SDC).

"I have met up with the secretariat implementers of SDC, that is Sedia, recently, and they have agreed to include the project under SDC funding.

"There is no problem of providing funds to carry out the project as the main issue now is to look for a suitable land around the State capital to build the centre. We will build a modest centre that could be completed in stages and I believe it is better to start small and be realistic on how to make full use the premises. No use for us to build a big centre if we are not using it to the fullest," Masidi said.

He disclosed this to reporters after closing a State-level 18th Students' Forum 2009 competition on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, at SM Tshung Tshin, near here, Thursday.

The competition was solely for students from private Chinese secondary schools to show appreciation for the proper use of Bahasa Melayu as the national language.

It was organised by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sabah branch in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Sabah Education Department, among others.

Masidi also presented prizes to SM Kian Kok which emerged the winner, followed by SM Tshung Tshin and SM Yu Yuan, Sandakan. It was participated by nine schools.

SM Kian Kok here will represent Sabah at the national-level competition.

"We are fortunate to have many talented Sabahans in music and art. And we always talk about how good our people are. But the problem is that there is no concrete measure to further develop and polish their talent and interest to become professionals in their respective field, which could generate income for them," said Masidi, explaining the rationale for establishing the centre.

"For example, the SM Tshung Tshin orchestra band here has a pool of talented students in music but their talent would remain passive and undeveloped once they complete their studies and leave the school.

"The Government has responded to this need and agreed to build a Centre for Performing Arts as the performing hall for people to expose and develop their talent and interest in fields such as music."

In another development, he called on travellers coming back from four countries regarded as high-risk A H1N1 virus areas to voluntarily go for a week's self-quarantine.

The four countries, he said, are the United States, Australia, Mexico and the Philippines.

(Source: Daily Express, 26 Jun 2009)

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