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It was a proud moment for Sarawakian brother and sister musical duo SJ Borneo when they earned the Gold second runner-up title at the 2025 World Championship Grand Finals organised by Asia Pacific International Arts Festival in Bangkok, Thailand, from 9 to 12 May.
Through a post on Facebook, 15-year-old Shawn Thein Shuen and his younger sister 12-year-old Jane Thien Jing put Malaysia on the map as they garnered praise for a performance that highlighted Sarawak’s indigineous cultural heritage.
They were bestowed the winning title for a unique rearrangement of “Anak Kampung”, a song made popular by Sabahan musician Jimmy Palikat.
What made it more special was that the siblings sang the song in both Malay and Chinese.
To complete the look and sound of the performance, they played the number dressed in traditional Sarawakian attire and musical instruments – Shawn on djembe (a percussion instrument) and Jane on the sape (a string instrument).
SJ Borneo received unanimous praise from the panel of international judges for their act, which was witnessed by a crowd of over 500 spectators.
“This competition gave us the opportunity to stand on the world stage representing Sarawak and Malaysia, and to share our culture through music.
“Sarawak’s heritage is unique and precious. We want the world to hear, see, and treasure it,” the duo said in a statement.
Shawn and Jane thanked the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, under the Mudahcara Facilitation Fund, for the support which led to their success.
“We are deeply grateful to the ministry for the support through Dana Mudahcara, which helped make this journey possible,” they said.
The Kuching locals also extended a heartfelt thanks to their teachers and educational institutions for encouragement and guidance.
They also acknowledged the inspiration of sape pioneers including Dines Ngau Wan, Hallan Hashim, Alena Murang, and Mathew Ngau Jau, whose contributions inspired their journey.
Looking ahead, the pair is committed to promoting traditional Sarawak music with their motto, ‘Sape for All’.
The massive international art event saw many participants from all over the world taking part, including Australia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kosovo, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, the Republic of North Macedonia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
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