Kuching Waterfront Festival 2016 Aspires To Feature More International Boat Races

KUCHING, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- The Kuching Waterfront Festival (previously known as Sarawak Regatta) next year aspires to feature even more international boat races.

Sarawak Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said there was a proposal to have special events involving foreign and local universities.

"If there is a consensus between the alumni of the Henley Business School and those of Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the United Kingdom, we may even have their famous rowing races on the Sarawak River.

"Then, we can get our local university teams to compete against the British student teams," he told reporters after performing the eye-doting ceremony to symbolise the holding of the Sarawak International Dragon Boat Regatta 2015 here Saturday, as part of the two-week long festival.

Also held was the Sarawak Handicraft Festival 2015.

Representing Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the event, he said there was also a proposal for similar rowing races to be organised among universities in the country, as well.

Abang Johari said the three-day international dragonboat race events of the festival beginning yesterday, had managed to attract eight international and four local teams.

"We have teams (comprising 544 rowers) from the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore joining us.

"Kuching is now a circuit for this international race in the region too, which is a very positive development," he said, adding that traditional boat races would be held on Sept 27.

On another matter, Abang Johari said it had been proposed that next year, the annual festival be held in November, instead of September.

He said this was because there were many major celebrations in September such as the Merdeka Month, Malaysia Day and the Sarawak Head of State's birthday.

"November should be ideal, especially after the public examinations are over so that we can attract even more holiday makers to the state," he noted.

Meanwhile, the 10-day Sarawak Handicraft Festival beginning Sept 18, is organised by the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, in collaboration with Kuching resident Office and Unit Pembangunan Usahawan dan Industri Halal.
-bernama.