div>A total of 5,000 attended Kenduri Seni Melayu (KSM) festival held at Dataran Engku Putri, Batam Center on Nov. 17 – 19. The event featured dance, music and art performances from five countries: Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
“Thank you Tourism Ministry for always supporting every cultural event in Batam. [Visitors from] Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Netherlands were in awe of the KSM event,” said Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi.
Professor Jan Van Der Putten of University of Hamburg praised the event, he said that the Melayu culture offers something unique that other Indonesian places don’t have.
“The dance is dynamic and is always moving, the music is energetic and it offers a different sensation unlike music and dances from Java or Bali, this one is more alive. European tourists must be excited,” said the professor.
“We have the commitment to keep on developing the Melayu culture, it is one the tourist attractions in Riau Islands, especially Batam City,” added Riau Islands tourism department head Buralimar. (asw)
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