I hate to say this but it's time to rant. Even though I am thousands of miles away, I still like to know what's going on with the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2007; which by the way is happening this coming weekend.
Imagine how I felt when I saw this headline on Borneo Post online. Ashamed for the organizer. I wouldn't even call it a snag. Snag is so tame. Like they're playing down the situation.
News source: BP Online with scribblings of an irate reader, sorry!The CEO's pooh-pah, lackadaisical attitude that "hopefully, it'll be better next year" is downright ridiculous. Clearly, Ms. Geikie isn't familiar with the term "once bitten twice shy" or "first impressions, last impressions". Would you come back to a place that turned you away?! Would you want to be slapped in the face twice?! D-uh!
I just have to say something about Sarawak Tourism Board (STB). They're getting complacent with dire consequences for the much beloved RWMF. Instead of continuous improvement, they're practicing continuous degeneration.
For starters...
This festival has been going on for the past 10 years. Each time, with supposed major success and more attendees. Yippee, so we're proud about it and all. And then..?!! Why on earth is Damai Lagoon, a Holiday Inn chain of hotel near the festival site totally closed for refurbishment during this busy yet crucial period? I heard something about cash flow problems but that's NOT GOOD enough. What were they thinking? Business sense: zero. Lost of revenue: priceless. *with sarcasm*
Unbelievable...
Racial discrimination towards the local attendees & other Malaysians who have booked the hotels for this event. My girlfriends never missed the opportunity to go to the RWMF. Lately, one of them received a funny phone call from Holiday Inn because they wanted to know her personal profile i.e. nationality and race. Okayyy! Fortunately for my smart friend, she could smell a rat and knew that the 3 star hotel was trying to bump her off to make room for international travelers. No offense to the overseas visitors but how would you feel if someone cut you off and pushed you to the curb? Anyway, she refused to answer that absurd question and kept the room that she booked since last year. For standing her ground: two thumbs up!
This is something else I learned from my friends back home.
- If you booked your room on the web and if your name sounds Caucasian the they would do anything to accommodate your request(s) or at least put you in one of those above-average hotels within the City's golden triangle area. A girlfriend of mine is, should I say, "lucky" to have such a name so she got a good alternate deal.
- If you're Malaysian, you will be relegated to a 2 star or lesser abode somewhere at the edge of the City.
"Service with a smile" is Holiday Inn's catch-phrase but sometimes a smile just isn't enough. Sorry but this isn't the Mary Tyler Moore Show. To avoid traffic congestion, this sod-off hotel offered a bus shuttle service from Kuching but the bus only drops passengers off at the Sarawak Cultural Village (RWMF site). What if you've booked to stay for the weekend at their sister hotel at Holiday Inn - Damai Beach? Too bad, you have to drag your bags from the Cultural Village, over the steep hill to your hotel and then, check-in. *pant, pant*
Adding salt to the wound, they also conveniently neglected to inform my dear friends that they had to collect a special car sticker in order to get through the gate.
Hotel employee (in a casual matter): Eh??? I didn't tell you about the sticker?
My anxious girlfriend: #@!^*
I don't blame her for being so riled up. Who wouldn't?! *sigh* Still, my gal pals are off to the RWMF this weekend and somehow, I know this isn't the end of the story. I just wish them all the luck dealing with them
But, dealing with those incompetent hotel staff could be advantageous sometimes. When the RWMF was in its 2nd. or 3rd. year, my girlfriends & I helped ourselves to a free buffet breakfast because the hotel we stayed in was short-staffed. Yeah, short-staffed on the busiest weekend of the year. After calling out many times for the check without success (the waiter saw us but didn't even bother coming), we left the restaurant in anger but with full-bellies. Tit for tat, I say!
Before I BLog-Off...
RWMF is a precious event that generates a lot of positive attention along with other economic benefits for Kuching City & her people. However, STB and the Tourism Ministry must tighten their grip on the hoteliers to ensure a comfortable and guaranteed stay for all visitors regardless of their skin color. And please, franchise the RWMF for business acumen sake before more States come in and steal your thunder! Unbelievably lackadaisical yet snooty attitude of STB. What about staying a couple of steps ahead of your competitors?!
8 comments:
hahaha....yalor! If the hotels are bumping us locals off in favour of the angmohs, then what's the point of our govt telling us to Cuti2 Malaysia? I'd rather go Cuti2 elsewhere then.
You know, Bolehland can only improve the service industry with people like us, educated, open minded, culturally exposed to return and run the business, but, with the "Tak Suka, you Keluar" policy, we can only laugh at their loss from afar...sad indeed.
millyvanilly: hey, i want to hear RWMF 2007 updates from you guys later on ;) i hope y'all had a smashing weekend up there, regardless.
cooknengr: what to do?! nevermind, u have a great life now in CA. the only things we miss are our families & friends & the local food that we cannot replicate. but judging from yr culinary skills, not much anyway.
I'm back...! Updates in my email. But just to let you know, we did see a couple drag their luggage bags from Santubong Resort (where the road block starts) up that steep hill to Damai Beach. Bet they were cursing away! Hahahah.
I think you must realise that the Holiday Inn hotels are owned by SEDC.. the main company runned by the government. It is an obvious strategy that needed to be taken by SEDC to ensure that tourists abroad gets priority... Like duh.. why? Cos locals dont spend as much as foreigners. Locals bring their own packed food, and food from choice supermarket into hotel rooms..which is packed with 6 persons.. Thus.. if you dont get a room..dont blame Holiday Inn.. First, blame the bladdy locals that treat hotel rooms like kampung rooms..and then..blame SEDC who comes up with the policy... afterall..tourism is important to Sarawak.
mfbmf: in the first place, don't we all already know who SEDC is. it's a pity that you think so lowly of the local people. maybe that's how you would behave??? i suggest that you look at the percentage of attendees at the RWMF. the biggest percentage are still locals, if you are NOT AWARE! tourism is important to everyone for sure but you seem to sanction the impartial behavior of the hotel. tsk! tsk! tsk! shame on you.
Errr...what are you crapping about? I thought I saw your name on the booking list in Santubong Resort? Just being sour grape that STB dumped you with the media and performers at Santubong Resort that you decided not to attend and now talk all bullshit about it. Such sourpuss
dear anonymous commentator(s): if u decide to write nonsensical stuff, it will not be entertained. please don't waste your time. it'll be rejected. i recommend that u start your own blog & write yr own rants. if u don't get the whole picture or don't understand simple English, please enroll in a tuition center immediately. good luck! when u are competent enough, do come back and realize that you've been a big time IDIOT all along.
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