The call has been made to relevant government agencies and corporate organisations to come up with more funding aid to make the Miri Arts Festival (MAF) sustainable and grow into a long-term event.

State Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and performing arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting, opined that the major cultural events like MAF need regular support so that they can develop into a regional platform.

“The support of big dreams is significant. As such, I would like concerned agencies and corporate organisations to consider and invest in sustaining and expanding this significant festival in the years to come,” he read in one of the speeches delivered at the MAF 2025 at Miri Indoor Stadium on 2nd January by his deputy, Adam Yii of the Pujut assembly.

As Piasau assemblyman, Ting explained that MAF is a key project aimed at making Miri not just a tourism city, but also a living, breathing city that is open to creativity and arts.

He also argued that such festivals are significant in enhancing cultural tourism as well as creative tourism and make the city remain appealing to tourists.

He said that Miri is strong in diversity, and examples are the Kedayan, Jatti Miriek, Lun Bawang, Seping, and Berawan who co-exist peacefully with the Iban, Kayan, Bidayuh, Kenyah, Melanau, and Chinese groups.

Each of them has its language, traditions, and artistic manifestations, and Miri is really unique.

In prospect, he said he hoped future editions of MAF will grow even more to encompass theatre, literature and architecture and possibly grow into a regional ethnic arts event of Borneo including Brunei and the Philippines.

The second MAF is the five-day festival, which is organized between Dec 31 and Jan 4, following the success of the first edition in 2024.

The opening ceremony also included a special award, the MAF Arts Recognition Award, given to Dato Indera Tom Abang Saufi for her efforts to popularize the heritage of Sarawak on the international scene through fashion.