Kelantan Plans To Build Wau Museum In Pantai Irama, Bachok

BACHOK, July 18 (Bernama) -- The Kelantan government plans to build a wau (Kelantanese kite) museum in Pantai Irama, here next year in line with the move to make the beach resort area a permanent site for national and international-level wau competitions. State Local Government, Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the setting up of the museum was important to revive this traditional game which was gradually being forgotten by the younger generation."By having such a museum, we can gather kite enthusiasts and display wau of various shapes and designs to attract tourists.

This is in line with making Bachok an Islamic tourism town," he said at the presentation of prizes and closing of the International Wau Invitational Competition 2010, here, Sunday. The ceremony was officiated by Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yacob, representing Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. Also present were Kite Flying Association of Malaysia deputy president Hussein Harun and Kelantan Kite Flying Association president Nik Ariff Nik Hassan. Takiyuddin, who is also the competition organising committee chairman, asked that the Bachok District Council discuss with the Kelantan State Economic Development Corporation and state government to get approval for the land for the museum as it belonged to a state government subsidiary company.

He said the state government could also use its quarters near the beach area to be turned into a wau museum before a permanent building could be constructed for the museum. Takiyuddin, who is also the State Museum Corporation chairman, said building of the wau museum and providing a permanent site for wau-flying competitions were in tune with the effort to draw more tourists to Kelantan, targeted at 4.5 million this year. The Kelantan team emerged as the overall champion in the four-day competition which ended today, while two teams from the Federal Territory were the runner-up and in third place respectively.