All articles of culture in Sabah

25Jul

Dinner In The Sky coming to Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Dinner In The Sky Malaysia is proud to announce that it will be making East Malaysia its next stop for the first time ever beginning 1st August 2017, after enjoying an immensely popular and sold out series of events in  Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor. This one-of-a-kind dining experience is endorsed by Sabah Tourism Board and will be co-sponsored by Sutera Harbour Resort for a month, with two dinners served daily in the beautiful Kota Kinabalu skies. Dinner In The Sky is a unique dinner experience that uses a crane to hoist diners, table and waiting staff 150 feet off into the air, giving them an amazing bird’s eye view whilst enjoying exquisite culinary feast. To complete this experience, diners can expect to not just marvel at the view but take their gastronomically journey to a whole different level with a special-made Italian menu served by chef Danielle Rossetto from Ferdinand’s, which is listed as one of Malaysia’s best restaurants by Malaysia Tatler. Brought to you by TwoSpicy Entertainment, Dinner In The Sky is currently only available in Malaysia in the South East Asian region. Already a well-known brand of entertainment, this innovative Belgian-based experience has hosted more than 5,000 dinner events in 40 cities around the world. Iconic locations have included the Kuala Lumpur Tower, the Marina of Dubai, Villa Borghese in Rome, Athens, Copacabana Beach and Cape Town. Forbes magazine has called it as one of the world’s top ten most unusual restaurants. Some of the more notable Malaysian celebrities that have had this one of a kind experience include Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Dato’ Lee Chong Wei, Erra Fazira and Amber Chia. Arvin Randahwa, CEO of TwoSpicy Entertainment, the company that owns the Dinner In The Sky Malaysia license exclusively in Malaysia said: “We are aware that most of the major events and experiences that come into our country are targeted towards West Malaysia. However Sabah is just so beautiful and the people here are lovely. We therefore wanted to bring this ‘gift’ to Sabahans and the many tourists that visit it. This is your chance to experience this world class product at your backyard and treat your loved ones, friends or corporate members for an unforgettable experience.” Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, chairman of Sabah Tourism Board said: “This is definitely one of a kind dining experience that provides opportunities to both locals and visitors in Kota Kinabalu a totally different view of KK, which is from the sky! It is timely that we are able to promote new products for our visitors to experience while they are here in Kota Kinabalu.” Dinner In The Sky observes its safety measures to an utmost level. While seated guests will wear safety belts, standing presenter and crew are secured by safety harnesses all the time during the flight. A safety supervisor will brief patrons about all the safety regulations prior to the flight and will be in constant communication with crane operator and ground crew for a smooth flight. The experience has been approved by TÜV SÜD, the German organisation that validates the safety of products of all kinds to protect humans and the environment against hazards. Source: TheBorneoPost
By Inside KePKAS, Comments Off
Read more...
21Jul

Magahau Festival Well Received In West Malaysia

KOTA KINABALU: The Peninsular Malaysia zone Rungus festival – Magahau – was well received when it was held at the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Kuala Lumpur recently. The event, organized by the Momogun Rungus Sabah (Samora) succeeded in gathering a substantial number of Sabahans of Rungus origin. Chairman of the organizing committee Encik Jumatri Kolong said the participants had come from states in Peninsular Malaysia where they had settled. “We are pleased to have attracted so many Rungus people, and we welcome the many tourists who were present,” he said. The event was declared open by Claryssa Ogodong who is the Ambassadress of Momogun Rungus. In a traditional beauty contest called Mitarab Gimpuhut Momogun, Irene Montilit representing Kuala Lumpur was adjudged the winner. She received a cash prize of RM1,000, a sash and a trophy. Runner up was Sherrina Singkong (Johor) and second runner-up was won by Stella Ann Fredey (Johor). They respectively won RM700 and RM500. The three damsels will represent Peninsular Malaysia in the state-level contest in Sabah on July 31. Source: New Sabah Times
By Inside KePKAS, , , Comments Off
Read more...
20Jul

KK Jazz Festival Committee Meets Mayor

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF) 2017 organising committee led by its organising chairman Rotarian Jack Ong, paid a courtesy call on Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai, recently . Jack briefed Yeo on the programme for the upcoming 11th KK Jazz Festival at the  Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club Covered Tennis Courts on July 21-22 The two-night concert will feature international and local talents and bands to perform on either the centre or main stage. Malaysian celebrity, personality and TV anchor, Sabahan Daphne Iking, is back by popular demand to emcee again this year. Performers on the first night includes 2017 Bakat Interact winner from SM St Francis Convent; Butod Project (KKJF Talent Search winners);  Gordon Chin with his complex fingerstyle technique; the energetic pop fusion band – Dominant 5th of Borneo (D50B);  Sabahan Jazz piano Alton Wong and jazz ensemble Kangkung Belacan; the infectious rhythm driven sound of Nafas; Sada Borneo’s musical fusion of traditional, modern, ethnic and nature elements; and ending the night with the winner of Tiger Jams 2016 – Rozella. The line-up for the second night begins with sophisticated jazz, dance and Latin music by Borneo Big Band led by Joan Jim; Talent Search finalists – Zuhaili and Culumus; Good Messenger – professional musicians from Taiwan with their mix of jazz, blues, gospel and classical music; the first authentic Spanish Flamenco ensemble to perform in Sabah – Origen; the unique and virtuosic style of Shun Ng & The Shunettes, comprising of Stellar Award nominee Deon Mose, with their special guest – China’s The Voice finalist Melody Tan; a UK chart topper and daughter of the legendary Loganathan of the Alleycats – Dasha Logan; and Asia’s first and only Prince-inspired tribute band – Rainbow Children, to bring the festival into a spectacular ending. The festival opens at 6pm on both nights and ends at about 11 pm each night. There are tables and chairs provided at the venue but availability is on a first come first serve basis. This year  KKJF will have some of the best restaurants in Kota Kinabalu serving their best food and beverages such as The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Outlet, Party Play, Adelphi & Co, Alexys, Borenos, Fruto, Wine Shop, Carlsberg, and many more. F&B coupons of RM20 and RM50 per book are sold at the festival. Tickets will be available at the door on both days but purchase them now via website and at selected outlets in KK at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Party Play, Adelphi & Co, Alexys Cafe and Borenos Fried Chicken. Prices for the tickets are RM100 for a one-day pass (per pax per night) and RM150 for a two-day pass (per pax for two nights). Both tickets are for regular seating on a first come first serve basis. The price for one Premier table is RM1,000 per table per night (maximum of six pax) or RM200 per pax per night (maximum of four pax) for a premier seating on sharing basis where table and seats are specially reserved. F&B is not included but waiters are on standby to assist on getting your food and beverages. To avoid the hassle of parking, the festival will partner with Uber Malaysia this year. Ticket holders can ride with Uber to/from the festival by entering the promo code 11KKJAZZF in the Uber app and enjoy two  free rides worth RM5 each to/from the festival on July 21-22 only. The main sponsor of KKJF is Yayasan Sime Darby. Other sponsors are the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, Pacificity and  supported by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and Carlsberg. KKJF is jointly organised by RCKK and SPArKS, and the festival is an annual fund-raising festival, where money raised from ticket sales is used to fund deserving community projects of RCKK. For more information on KKJF, please log onto www.kkjazzfest.com or check out FB page @KK Jazz Festival. Source: The Borneo Post Online
By Inside KePKAS, , , , , Comments Off
Read more...
19Jul

High Benchmark Set for Film Festival

Kota Kinabalu: The Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) Buzz10 Filmmakers' Competition has set a high benchmark with its outstanding entries this year. Hassan Muthalib who has been judging the competition since six years ago said he witnessed a progress in the quality of entries for the competition's eighth edition. "When I first started judging the competition, I can see some of the films are good but at the same time, there are quite a few which were not up to the standard. "And now, I saw entries which are very personal... they go very deep into their subjects. "They films are also cinematic… the makers have used the language of film well in their films," he said after the KKIFF 2017 Awards Night at the Black Box, here, on Sunday. He added almost 90 per cent of the entries this year have shown professional work compared to the previous ones. "Usually when we are sitting in the judges' seats, we will be cringing at certain films which should have never entered the competition … but in Buzz10, we only find a minimal number of films which are not really up to the mark." The self-taught artist-animator-film director-writer has been involved in the Malaysian film industry for 52 years. His creative works have won numerous awards and currently he is a film critic and writer where conduct researches and writings on the Malaysian cinema. He had also written two books – Malaysian Cinema in a Bottle in 2013 and From Mousedeer to Mouse: 70 Years of Malaysian Animation (2016). Al Jafree Md Yusop, the other judge for the Buzz10 Filmmakers' Competition said he was surprised by the entries and had a difficult time judging them. "The entries were amazing… the films put hope back in the Malaysian film industry," said Jafree. Hassan said the Sabah Film Academy (SFA) – the mentorship programme under KKIFF had contributed much in the improved quality of the entries. "In SFA, there are mentors who guide the participants and these participants were also among those who have entered the filmmakers' competition. "I was also told that the comments which the judges, including me, had given on the works in previous years had helped this year's participants to understand the do's and dont's on the technical and creative side of filmmaking. "I think what KKIFF has done is that it produces filmmakers who think, instead of filmmakers who would go out and shoot… these filmmakers put much attention to their subjects and the art of filmmaking. "I think this would go a long way in creating good storytellers in Sabah." According to him, good filmmakers should go beyond the technicality of making films. "They should read a lot, watch other people's films, mix with those who are smarter than them and they need to travel a lot. "If they can do these things, we can expect to see the production of great works which can reach international-level standards." As the standard of competition is high this year, Hassan said it will motivate and inspire the next wave of filmmakers to reach for greater heights. "Festivals such as KKIFF are very important and I hope they will get some support from the government as well as from the Kuala Lumpur side. "These festivals need funding and it is important for KKIFF to be expanded so that it can bring more foreign filmmakers who can interact with the local culture," he said. Meanwhile, more than 40 films from Malaysia and Asean countries took part in the Buzz10 Filmmakers' Competition to vie for the Golden Kinabalu Awards in three categories – narrative, documentary and indigenous language. In the narrative category, Si Tommy by Kubendra M.S. Mahadevan from Malaysia won while When Our Gardens Grow Silent by Mzung from Vietnam came out on top in the documentary category. The indigenous language category was won by Kwan Thung Seng from Sabah for the film Hello Pirit. During the event, films produced by the SFA participants were also screened. Prizes were presented by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Kadazandusun Language Foundation Chief Executive Officer Rita Lasimbang, Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu (SPArKS) President Roger Wang and KKIFF Director Jude Day. - Ricardo Unto Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , , , Comments Off
Read more...
14Jul

27 films from 18 nations to be screened July 22-29

Kota Kinabalu: Movie buffs and cinema goers here can expect to enjoy quality, inspiring and fascinating international movies including from Malaysia when 27 films from 18 different countries will be screened at a MBO cinema at Imago Mall from July 22 until 29. Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) 2017 is organising the movie screenings for the ninth time for city dwellers to watch all the movies for just RM10 per show except one Malaysian movie entitled Redha which will be screened on the opening night on July 22. Festival Director Jude Day said KKIFF is providing an even better selection of films including short films for the people here from throughout South-East Asia, Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Argentina, and the rest of the world to enjoy and gain educational experiences. She said the movie screenings of the 27 films are divided under two programmes namely Cinebalu (Cinema & Kota Kinabalu) movies that features 18 films where most are short films from nine Southeast Asian countries and world movie programmes featuring nine films from nine countries. "For this 9th KKIFF 2017, we have Malaysian films opening and closing our festival and these are both 'must-see' movies. "The first movie we are screening on the opening night is Redha which is about a Malay family with an autistic son where they struggle to confront the harsh realities of raising a child disabled by a condition they hardly know about. The father's inability to accept the truth causes friction in the family while the wife's perseverance and maternal instinct help her wade through the difficult time. "The best thing is that the film director Tunku Mona Riza will be here on the opening (July 22) and she wants to give a talk about the movie as well as to enhance awareness on autism at 4pm at Zara Boutique Hotel on the same day prior to a reception at 6pm at MBO cinema and screening of the movie at 7pm," she said. Jude said after the Malay movie, they will be screening a documentary film called 'The Promise' at 9pm which is a German-made film based on a true story in the United States where a young woman and her lover were accused of killing the woman's parents. She said both had been sentenced to jail for over 30 years and movie spectators get to see the actual film from the courtroom because this was the first court case in the United States that was allowed to be filmed. On the closing night, Jude said KKIFF will host the world premiere of a new, sophisticated and witty Malaysian comedy called Mencari Rahmat with its director Jafree Yusop who is currently working as a mentor with the Sabah Film Academy that is also part of the KKIFF. She said his film is based on a play by Oscar Wilde called The Importance of Being Earnest and Jafree spoke of the challenge in transforming Wilde's witty dialogue from English to Bahasa Melayu. Jude said all the movies have English subtitles and that complimentary tickets will be given if the movie goers bring a newspaper article about the KKIFF film screenings. "With just RM10 per ticket, the movie buffs get to enjoy three to six short films screened at 7pm like on July 24 and July 28 while some days will entail feature length films of over 90 minutes. "To find out about the rest of the movies at the KKIFF 2017, they can go to the KKIFF website (kkiff.com) and our Facebook page to see daily updates," she said. To a question, Jude said they purposely chose the two Malaysian movies for the opening and closing nights as both are really good Malaysian movies especially Redha that was chosen by Malaysia to be nominated for an Oscar as best foreign language movie and it depicts an important social issue where people should be aware about and understand about autism. According to her, KKIFF 2017 will also see the BUZZIO Filmmakers' Competition and the Sabah Film Academy (SFA) taking place again. She said the winning shots and the SFA short films will be screened on Awards Night which is free and open to everyone at 7pm on July 16. Also present were Sabah Tourism Board (STB) General Manager Gordon Yapp, Redha's editor Isazaly Isa, The Promise director of photography Georg Zengerling, scriptwriter cum director of Mencari Rahmat Jafree Yusop and other senior officials. - Hayati Dzulkifli Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, Comments Off
Read more...