KUCHING: The Sarawak Open Bonsai & Suiseki Championship, which will be held at La Promenade Mall from July 20 to 29, has received an impressive response with 185 entries from 42 participants.
To accommodate the large number of entries, the Sarawak Bonsai Association (SBA) has added four additional categories.
SBA president Johnson Jong said during a press conference yesterday (July 14) that this expansion ensures a fair and inclusive opportunity for all participants to display their bonsai and suiseki creations.
The championship will be officiated by the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, on July 23 at 11 am.
In addition to the championship, a bonsai workshop will be conducted for 50 primary school children on July 27 from 2 pm to 4 pm at the same venue.
The workshop aims to engage and inspire the younger generation by introducing them to the art of bonsai planting.
Organising chairman Hayes Teo said the importance of cultivating bonsai as a healthy habit that should be passed down to future generations.
He hoped that involving children in the workshop will develop an appreciation for bonsai and nurture their interest in this unique form of art.
Regarding participation from other states, Teo said that due to logistical challenges and airline regulations, they had to reject entries that involved transporting valuable bonsai plants across state lines.
Transporting plants through shipping or checking them in as luggage is complicated and risky, he added.
Teo explained the need to find potential solutions to allow these plants to be carried by plane specifically for the competition, and they are seeking the support of the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts in exploring these possibilities.
