Getting talented staff to perform in major shows good for hotels’ image: Jabu

SANTUBONG: Hotels in Sarawak have many talented cultural dancers who should be able to assist in adding value hotel services and products, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.

Their talents were evidenced during a splendid cultural dance performances displayed by staff members of 12 participating hotels at the Inter Hotel Ethnic Cultural Competition at Santubong Kuching Resort on Sunday night.

Jabu and his wife, Senator Dato Sri Empiang were the guests-of-honour.

As an advocate of Sarawak’s ethnic cultures, together with Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Jabu said he would request Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) to consider including some of these hotel staff dancers in its major national cultural performances.

MAH Sarawak Chapter and the Ministry of Tourism, were joint organisers of the competition. It was the third after the ones in 2002 and 2005.

Jabu said the number of participants this year impressed him. In 2002 only five hotels took part while eight took part in 2005.

Jabu noted that the competition was held in the spirit of racial harmony, sportsmanship and comradeship among the 12 hotels despite concerns that they might be working with less number of staff elsewhere that day.

He hoped that more hotels would take part in the next edition of the competition.

“The dancers displayed truly quality performances. The standard was so high that they (performers) are worthy of praises,” Jabu said, adding that the judges must have had a hard time deciding the winners.

MAH president Datuk Mohd Ilyas Zainal Abidin summed it up well.

“If nobody told me these performers are actually hotel staff members, I would have thought that they were from Sarawak Cultural Village,” he said, comparing them to some performers engaged by the SCV in their many events.

“I don’t envy the judges because they had a hard time determining which hotel should emerge the champion.”
For the record, six hotels competed in the Single Ethnic Cultural Dance (Category A). They were Santubong Kuching Resort, Imperial Hotel Miri, ParkCity Everly Bintulu, Hilton Batang Ai Resort, Harbour View Kuching and Somerset Gateway Kuching.

Six others competed in the Multi-Ethnic Cultural Dance Medley (Category B). They were Miri Marriots Resort and Spa, ParkCity Everly Miri, Crowne Plaza Riverside, Hilton Kuching, Holiday Inn Kuching and Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites Kuching.

Being the hosts, Santubong Kuching Resort was a fitting winner in Single Ethnic Cultural Dance category with their Melanau dance performance entitled ‘Alu Alu’. The hotel brought home RM1,000, a trophy and certificate.

Somerset Gateway Kuching and Hilton Batang Ai emerged second and third respectively.

Crowne Plaza Riverside was meanwhile adjudged champion in the Multi-Ethnic Cultural Dance Medley with their mixed welcome dance called ‘Ngajat Ngalu Temuai’. It was rewarded with RM1,500, a trophy and certificate. Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites came in second and took home RM1,000, a trophy and certificate while Holiday Inn Kuching took home RMRM750, trophy and certificate for its third placing.

The Best Costume and Props award went to Hilton Batang Ai in the Single Ethnic Cultural Dance category and Miri Marriots Resort and Spa in the Multi-Ethnic Cultural Dance Medley. They took home RM400 and RM800, respectively.

MAH Sarawak Chapter chairman David Prince, Sarawak Tourism Federation President Wee Hong Seng and organising chairperson Winnie Tan were among those present.