Rainforest World Music Festival 2020 is Postponed
The Rainforest World Music Festival 2020 has been postponed due to the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, which is affecting people worldwide, including Sarawak and Malaysia. Known commonly as RWMF, Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Abdul Karim issued the media statement on March 13, 2020, in Kuching.
Rainforest World Music Festival 2020 Postponed
The decision to postpone the Rainforest World Music Festival 2020 was made due to the ministry’s top priority for public health during the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.
The RWMF is a major flagship event for the state of Sarawak and a popular, world-renowned ethnic music festival that attracts over 20,000 visitors annually. The music festival attracts not only local attendees but also a large number of international visitors.
The Rainforest World Music Festival takes place mid-year, usually during the summer of June or July, and is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, a one-hour drive from the capital city of Kuching.
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| The crowd at the last RWMF in Sarawak. |
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| The scene during the last RWMF in Sarawak. |
This event is so popular because of its uniqueness. A wide range of local and international performances, from traditional music to world fusion and contemporary world music, are held in one natural venue.
This year, the Rainforest World Music Festival was supposed to take place from 10 to 12th July, and according to Kevin Nila from the Sarawak Tourism Board, tickets had not been opened for sale yet. This means that the Sarawak Tourism Board had anticipated the seriousness of the coronavirus and had held back from opening online ticket sales.
Therefore, most festival attendees or visitors would have pre-booked airline tickets and accommodations before the event. If you have done this, please read below on what you can do next.
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| Orang Ulu at the RWMF. |
Why is the Rainforest World Music Festival Postponed?
In fact, many reasons contribute to why the RWMF is being postponed, and I will list the most obvious reasons below. First of all, the current Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is the core reason for the postponement of this festival. This is followed by the concern of the virus spreading in large gatherings or events.
International musicians also make up the bulk of the festival’s performers; hence, flight logistics would be a serious nightmare for many of them. Most of the performing bands and musicians come from all over the world, and with the current airline lockdowns in many countries and airlines, this would create a very chaotic situation.
Logistically, it would be an organizer’s nightmare just to coordinate the performers’ arrivals, the equipment, the health screenings, and so on.
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| The Rainforest Fringe Festival 2020 has also been canceled. |
Rainforest Fringe Festival 2020 Postponed
Another major build-up event that coincides with the RWMF is the two-week-long Rainforest Fringe Festival 2020. This event, too, has been postponed until further notice. The Rainforest Fringe Event usually takes place around Kuching city, promoting the RWMF with daily and weekly events ranging from workshops to music performances.
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| One of the performers during the last RWMF. |
When is the Rainforest World Music Festival Postponed?
As of this article, there is no confirmed date when the RWMF 2020 will be postponed. For now, the ministry just announced it. It also depends on the situation of COVID-19 or Coronavirus in Malaysia and whether it subsides or continues to spread.
If the Coronavirus spreads and an emergency is declared in Malaysia, all events and music festivals in Sarawak and the country will be canceled or postponed to the following year. Datuk Karim also mentioned that events are not canceled but only postponed to a later date. This also depends on what happens in the next two to three months.
If the Coronavirus comes under control or major improvement is observed, the ministry will then review whether it is viable to set another date. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Sarawak also stressed that the decision to postpone all major events in Sarawak was also due to the advice of the State Disaster Management Committee.
What if you have bought flight tickets or booked hotel rooms for RWMF?
- First, contact your airline or online travel agent (OTA) about postponing or refunding your flight tickets.
- Next, you need to contact the hotel or accommodation you booked for a cancellation. In this scenario, most companies will be flexible and issue you a refund.
- No RWMF tickets were sold online due to the anticipation of the pending Coronavirus or Covid-19 issues in Sarawak and worldwide.
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| The Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak. |
Where is the Rainforest World Music Festival held?
Every year, the RWMF is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, or SCV, in Santubong, an hour’s drive from Kuching. This unique music festival has been held at the Sarawak Cultural Village since its inauguration in 1997.
What other events have been postponed or canceled in Sarawak?
With the Rainforest World Music Festival 2020 being postponed, the Ministry of Tourism Sarawak has also made it official that any event in the next two months with more than 250 people has been delayed.
This goes from the private to the public sectors all across Sarawak, most of which are indefinite until further notice is announced. Any rumors or fake news spreading should be verified with the ministry, including the many social media platforms that are well-known to be the primary source of this.
Currently, the major events that are postponed in Sarawak are;
- Spartan Race Sarawak 2020
- Borneo Jazz Festival 2020 in Miri
- Borneo Cultural Festival 2020 in Sibu
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| There was a massive crowd at last year’s RWMF in Santubong, Sarawak. |
Conclusion
Visitors or travelers should also note that there has been a tourism lockdown in Malaysia, and the Visit Malaysia 2020 year has also been canceled. If the event is canceled for this year, please do not worry; there is always an opportunity to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival 2021.
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