KUCHING, 31 October 2023: Hosted at the Waterfront Kuching, the three-day International Dragon Boat Regatta Race saw 60 teams from 20 countries vie for the top prizes during the Sarawak Regatta celebrations that continue to 5 November 2023.
The event is organised by the Kuching ‘Residen’ Office and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP). The International Dragon Boat Race saw 60 teams from 20 countries participating. Other activities during the Sarawak Regatta include the Sarawak Kitchen Festival and Borneo Textile Craft Sale, cultural performances, and the Sarawak Malay Drum Competition.
Regattas in Sarawak dates back to 1872 during the James Brooke era. Initially, the intention was to stop racial wars among local tribes where headhunting was largely practised.
Ruler James Brooke instructed all tribes to challenge each other through boat races to prove their power and strength rather than headhunting which brought lasting peace to the area.
Speaking at the launching ceremony at the weekend, The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari, Premier of Sarawak, noted that due to flight constraints, Sarawak had to limit the number of regatta participants saying the recent MasWing acquisition and the changes in aviation in Sarawak should increase participation and boost the economy in the future
The aviation reference touched on a government announcement first reported by the Borneo Post on 29 October that confirmed a recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Sarawak government, Malaysia Aviation Group and Hornbill Skyways for the acquisition of shares in MASwings.
It’s a significant step forward in addressing accessibility concerns in Sarawak,” the Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar told the media.
Speaking to reporters Ammar expressed his optimism about the collaboration, emphasising the importance of increased accessibility to the region.
It will lead to a significant improvement in domestic flights on Borneo island once the takeover of MASwings by the Sarawak government and a new airline is established. In the short term, the airline will concentrate on opening up more flights in Sarawak province but will ultimately fly to other neighbouring destinations offering more competitive fares, he explained.
https://regatta.sarawaktourism.com/
(Source: Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak).
