By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 17: This year’s Telaga Air Festival scheduled from Dec 1 to 3 will feature the reintroduction of the Telaga Air Regatta as part of efforts to establish the location as a water sports hub in Kuching.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the last mini regatta held in Telaga Air was in 1992.
“Telaga Air is a very suitable place for us to elevate it into a water festival site. It will not cause inconvenience for us to organise a water festival, including holding a powerboat race or RC (remote control) boat race. It’s a lagoon – a beautiful place.
“Maybe one day, our Sarawak Regatta international event can be relocated from Kuching Waterfront to Telaga Air as an alternative site to ease the traffic congestion in Kuching city since Telaga Air is just situated on the periphery of Kuching. That might happen 20 to 50 years from now,” he said during a press conference held at Baitul Makmur II here today.
Taking place at Telaga Air Esplanade, the 17th Telaga Air Festival is organised by Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and supported by the MTCP.
The Telaga Air Regatta will feature seven, categories namely Bidar 10, Bidar 15, Bidar 20, Bidar 25, Bidar 20 Pengayuh VIP, Bidar 30 Marathon (5km) and Bidar 30 Raja Sungai (King of the River).
The winner for the Raja Sungai category will take home the trophy and cash prize of RM15,000, while the total prize money for the Regatta amounts to RM80,000.
Other activities include food and beverage sales, exhibitions, primary school-level Al-Quran recital, sepak takraw competition, futsal, sukan rakyat (people’s sport), cooking, karaoke, decorated boats, creative poco-poco, children’s coloring contest, nopeng, creative martial arts, kayak boats and tug-of-war.
MPP will also provide about 1,400 parking spaces in designated places for festival goers and shuttle bus services from the parking spaces to the venue.
Abdul Karim also mentioned that MTCP would provide an additional sum of RM50,000 to the initial funding of RM150,000 for the Telaga Air Festival.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) and Santubong MP Dato Sri Nancy Shukri stated that the Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak (Utilities) and Pantai Damai assemblyman Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi will declare open the festival on Friday (Dec 1) while Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg would officiate the closing ceremony on Sunday (Dec 3).
Among those present during the press conference were MPP chairman Tan Kai and MTCP deputy permanent secretary Desmond Douglas Jerukan. — DayakDaily
