Abd Karim: Telaga Air Festival to host regatta boat race for first time after 3 decades

KUCHING (Nov 17): The annual Telaga Air Festival will be a special occasion this year as it will host a regatta boat race for the first time since 1992, said Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Minister Dato Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said the reintroduction of the regatta event could pave the way for Telaga Air to host the Sarawak Regatta in the future as it has potential to be elevated as a water festival site since it has a lagoon.

“Telaga Air is a 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 remote control boat race. It’s a lagoon – a beautiful place.

“Since the water sports event is becoming more popular, Telaga Air can become one of our venues for the Sarawak Regatta in future because as we know, many wanted to participate in the Sarawak Regatta this year but we had to limit the number due to constraints. Kuching Waterfront could not accommodate a large number of participants.

“Thus, I can see this area has high potential and the most appropriate, and alternative choice for the expansion of the Sarawak Regatta.

“Maybe one day, our Sarawak Regatta international event can be extended from the 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 told a press conference here today.

He said over 1,000 visitors from Kuching and outside of the city are expected to come to the festival set to take place at Esplanade Telaga Air from December 1 to 3.

Adding on, Abdul Karim said the Telaga Air regatta boat race 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,” he said.

Abdul Karim also said there will be other activities held throughout the three-day event, including food and beverage sales, exhibitions, primary school-level Al-Quran recital, sepak takraw competition, futsal, sukan rakyat (folk games), cooking, karaoke, decorated boats, creative poco-poco, children’s colouring contest, nopeng (dancing culture), creative martial arts, kayak boats and tug-of-war.

On amenities, Abdul Karim said 1,400 parking spaces will be provided at designated places for festival goers, and shuttle services would also be provided to transport visitors from the parking spaces to the venue.

Meanwhile, Federal Women, Family and Community Development Minister  Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said Senate President Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar will attend the soft launching on December 1, and an invitation has been extended to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg as the guest-of-honour to close the festival on December 3.

Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, the 17th Telaga Air Festival is an annual event organised by Padawan Municipal Council (MPP).

Also present at the press conference were MPP chairman Tan Kai and the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Desmond Douglas Jerukan.