Abdul Karim, flanked by Hii (front, right) and Mukvinder, assesses one of the posters exhibited at the event.

KUCHING: More impactful events should be held to ensure active involvement of all stakeholders, including youths, in promoting responsible tourism in Sarawak.

Such events would bring stakeholders together to share ideas as well as resources, which should be good for a sustainable tourism industry, said Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“Together, we can uphold values such as environmental friendliness, healthy lifestyle and responsible tourism practices for the betterment of Sarawak and its people in the years to come,” he said in officiating at Sarawak Youth Talent (SYT) 2020 at a hotel here yesterday.

On SYT 2020, Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Youth and Sports, said it was held to empower youths through the showcase of their talents, presentation of ideas as well as making their voices heard by the society in a healthy and sustainable way.

He added that it also served as a good avenue for them to channel their talents and potential in serving the community at large.

“We therefore approve and support this event because it is very different from other initiatives –  the main motivation factor for our young participants is for them to make meaningful contribution to society that nurtures them,” he added.

SYT 2020 was a contest run by UCSI University Sarawak Campus, Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) and Sarawak Research Society, which ran from Oct 1 last year to Jan 31 this year.

Yesterday’s event was the contest’s highlight.

Open to students of secondary schools, universities and colleges, the contest was divided into two categories – storytelling via posters, and storytelling through a one-minute video with the theme ‘Towards Responsible Tourism in Sarawak’.

Among those present at the event yesterday were Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, Padawan Municipal Council deputy chairman Dato Ahmad Ibrahim, and UCSI University Sarawak Campus chief operating officer Mukvinder Kaur Sandhu.