Everyone present at Padang Merdeka were shaken and stirred when a helicopter (sponsored by Hornbill Skyways Sdn Bhd & Extreme Events Sdn Bhd) carrying the world’s most famous secret agent “James Bond” touched down at Padang Merdeka in the morning with his Bond girls.
Following the hype in town on reports of Bond girls delivering top secret documents to the recipients of the “Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award 2008”, Bond arrived in town to complete their mission. Waiting for him at the Padang were VIPs YB Larry Sng Wei Shien, Asst. Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Economic Planning) and Christina Wendt, Director of Sales and Marketing of Sarawak Convention Bureau.
Introductions were made between the VIPs and Bond, during which the famous line “Bond, James Bond” was uttered by 007. Bond then handed over a briefcase containing the award trophies to YB Larry Sng. After that, they made their way across the Padang to Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites for a press conference.
Organized by the Sarawak Convention Bureau, the “Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award 2008” recognizes those who have successfully bid for a new national or international convention to Sarawak. It acknowledges their commitment and dedication to the growth of Sarawak’s MICE industry.
Sarawak’s profile as an emerging international meetings destination continues to grow with the Bureau’s calendar of events boosted by successful bids for 22 new conventions to take place over the next couple of years. Next year, the state will expect to see major conventions scheduled including the 8th World Congress on Engineering, District 51 Toastmasters International Convention and the 11th National Congress of The Federation of Tailor’s Guilds Malaysia. The Bureau is currently working on fifteen new bid opportunities.
This year’s theme for the “Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award 2008” is ‘007’ with the award gala night to be held at Links Restaurant at the Civic Centre here on 22nd November. On the night, guests will get the chance to pose with the Jaguar XK8 (sponsored by Tan Brothers) which will be parked in front of the Civic Centre. From there they will be escorted into a time capsule to take them to Links Restaurant where plenty of surprises await them.
-End-
Speech for YB Larry Sng
Organized by the Sarawak Convention Bureau, the “Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award 2008” recognizes those who have successfully bid for a new national or international convention to Sarawak. It acknowledges their commitment and dedication to the growth of Sarawak’s MICE industry.
Sarawak’s profile as an emerging international meetings destination continues to grow with the Bureau’s calendar of events boosted by successful bids for 22 new conventions to take place over the next couple of years. Next year, the state will expect to see major conventions scheduled including the 8th World Congress on Engineering, District 51 Toastmasters International Convention and the 11th National Congress of The Federation of Tailor’s Guilds Malaysia. The Bureau is currently working on fifteen new bid opportunities.
Last year, the Sarawak Convention Bureau honored 11 recipients at a gala dinner with an impressive Oscar theme. Recipients were treated like ‘stars’, picked up from their home by chauffer driven cars and were given red carpet welcome complete with adoring fans, autograph hunters and paparazzi. The recipients of the award represented associations that have successfully bid for a national or international convention to come to Sarawak or worked with the Bureau in developing an inaugural meeting.
This year’s award gala night will again acknowledge the recipients efforts and hard work in successfully bringing conventions covering a wide range of topics into the State. The recipients are busy professional people who are taking on challenging roles in addition to their normal workload.
This year, 19 people will receive the award. However, we cannot reveal who they are but we can give you some clues. In keeping with this year’s gala night theme “007” the recipients’ identities will be kept top secret. Here are three clues for you:
Agent 001 is from across the sea the Lion City. He came to fulfill and facilitate the green mission called IAF 2008 and 200 came with him from across the globe.
Agent 002 is a master of disguise. Being a doctor by profession, he enables other agents from our agency to alter their appearances according to their mission specification. The words mission impossible does not exist in his vocabulary and he has proven this by securing 500 delegates for MAPACS 2010.
Agent 003 is an undercover from a leading insurance company and is a passionate singer of Church choirs. He used his loud and clear voice to summon all his 1200 members to come to Kuching in June to join the World Chinese Church Music Conference 2008.
Congratulations to all of them, but this is not the end, we want to expand our influence further. Today, I want to encourage more Malaysians to join and actively participate in their international associations to take up the challenge of bidding for more conventions being held in Sarawak and become the next year Anak Sarawak.
