KUCHING: The 17th edition of the Pesta Regatta Telaga Air 2023 will be staged at Esplanade Telaga Air near here from Dec 1 to 3.
The festival promises an exciting line-up of activities, marking the resurgence of the mini regatta after a hiatus of 31 years since it was last hosted in 1992.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim was enthusiastic about the festival, saying that the riverbanks of Telaga Air are an ideal venue for water sports activities, with the river stretching up to six kilometres.
“When I received a proposal on this matter from the Padawan Municiple Council (PMC), I recommended that a regatta or water sports be held at Telaga Air, considering the place is ideal for such an event.
“Furthermore, Telaga Air is now being seen as part of Kuching. Therefore, relocating regatta events to the inner city would still be considered a Kuching event, ensuring continuity and accessibility.
“The vision is to elevate Telaga Air to a prominent location for major events in the future. We plan to gradually expand it annually, as the ministry is committed to elevating the scale of Telaga Air festival or regatta,” he said during the Pesta Regatta Telaga Air 2023 press conference at Baitul Makmur II here today.
The opening ceremony is set for Dec 1 at 2.15 pm, with the closing ceremony scheduled for Dec 3 with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg expected to grace the closing ceremony.
The highlight of the festival is the boat race (regatta), currently boasting participation of 19 teams in seven different categories, with registrations open until Nov 21.
The prestigious Raja Sungai category carries a grand prize of RM15,000, contributing to a total prize pool of RM80,000.
Beyond the boat race, the festival will feature an array of activities, including recitation of the Al Quran at primary school level, takraw football competition, futsal, sukan raykat, cooking, karaoke, decorated boats, creative ‘poco poco’, children’s colouring, nopeng dance, creative martial arts, kayaking and tug of war.
The festival also doubles as a platform for various government agencies, including Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (Centexs), iCATS University College, Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), Department of Social Welfare, Yayasan Sarawak and Baitulmal to showcase their exhibitions.
Food stalls selling diverse culinary delights and products will also be available at the festival.
Among those present at the press conference were Santubong MP Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, PMC chairman Tan Kai, MTCP chief assistant secretary Nasir Lariwoo, deputy permanent secretary Desmond Douglas Jerukan and Kuching District Officer Sofhi Jebal.
