Sarawak's Abdul Karim Becomes First Asian Minister To Address ICCA Congress In Portugal
KUCHING, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah made history by becoming the first minister from Asia to address a session on government collaboration at the 65th International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress in Porto, Portugal.
Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) in a statement today said that during the session, which was held yesterday, Abdul Karim spoke about the state government’s efforts in advancing business events through strong partnerships between various ministries.
“Long-term thinking is essential to strengthen confidence and align industry needs with national priorities.
“We will be signing memoranda of understanding with 12 Sarawak ministries in December to reflect the government’s commitment to business events and to strengthen collaboration between the government and the industry. This will be the biggest government-industry partnership in Malaysia’s business events sector,” he said in the statement.
BESarawak added that Sarawak’s largest-ever delegation, led by Abdul Karim, took centre stage at the congress, reinforcing the state’s position as a global force in legacy-driven business events.
The statement said the delegation emphasised Sarawak’s hallmark “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-industry” approach to elevate the business events sector as a driver of sustainable economic and social progress.
Meanwhile, BESarawak chairman Datuk Hii Chang Kee, who was one of the speakers at the ICCA’s Asia Pacific Chapter meeting, attributed Sarawak’s 100 per cent bid win rate since 2021 to the strong government support, close collaboration of the industry and investing in high-impact and high-value topics.
“Every bid is backed by a unified effort across ministries, agencies, and industry partners, all aligned under Sarawak’s legacy-driven vision to create long-term benefits for communities, not just to host events,” he said.
At the same event, BESarawak received the ICCA Award of Appreciation for its contribution to the strong development of the Asia Pacific Aircraft Component Services (APACS) industry.
On hand to receive the award was BESarawak chief executive officer (CEO) Amelia Roziman, who said that the state was truly honoured to be recognised as a regional leader in transformative business events.
“These platforms have transformed Sarawak from a passive participant in the global market to an active innovator shaping the future. We are turning local assets of knowledge, culture, and industries into global advantages,” she said.
Meanwhile, ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath applauded Sarawak’s approach as a living example of how government leadership and industry collaboration can drive transformative growth.
“The collaboration between the Sarawak government and our industry partners through the convention bureau demonstrates how a shared vision can create measurable outcomes and meaningful impact. ICCA is proud to recognise Sarawak as it continues to grow as a capital of business events,” he added.
-- BERNAMA