DALAT: “Pesta Sukan Air 2018” (Water Sports Fiesta) held at Sungai Kut Muara near here over the weekend, brought a new chapter to the development of the water sports in the area.
It was indeed a fulfilling comeback for the event which was staged for the first time after an absence of more than 50 years. Ac cording to Mini s ter of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Dato Sri Hajah Fatimah Abdullah, the last time it was staged was in 1963.
She was impressed that the event had attracted not only the locals but also participants from outside the state.
Apart from Brunei Darussalam, Mukah, Kapit, Bintulu, Song, Sibu and Miri also sent their racers to the two-day sporting event held from August 25. Fatimah, who is also Dalat State Assemblywoman, stated this while officiating at the Kut Muara Water Sports Fiesta 2018 on Sunday.
Expressing her support to the event, the minister announced that a proper facility would be developed at the fiesta site in the very near future.
“It would allow spectators to witness the event in a more comfortable manner and the allocation is under the Rural Transformation Project (RTP) grant of the state constituency. As we all know, the river bank for the racing event site is quite long. It will be carried out in phases like what we did at Pekan Sabtu Oya (Oya Saturday Bazaar),” she said. “The project will be discussed further with the relevant authorities, especially the Drainage and Irrigation Department,” she said.
Realising that some of the outsiders had to stay at the makeshift tents throughout the programme, she suggested that the locals convert their homes into “homestays” which could generate incomes for themselves and bring comfort to the visitors. On the biennial Dalat Besaug (Dalat Regatta), Fatimah disclosed that it would be held in Oya because a section of the existing site, Dalat Bazaar Waterfront, had been closed to pave way for the construction of the second phase of this most popular spot of th e district. “I hope the regatta in Oya will get the support of the residents in the area. Congratulations and thank you to all those involved for making this Kut Muara Water fiesta a very successful one,” she said.
At the function, Fatimah also announced the various projects that had taken place and would take place in the Sungai Kut area, namely, Kut Bazaar, Kampung Sungai Kut Muara and Kampung Sungat Kut Tengah.
The water sports, which attracted revellers from Dalat, Mukah and beyond, also saw the opening of booths by a number of agencies, namely, the National Registration Department and Election Commission for the registration of new voters. Par t i Pesaka Bumiputer a Bersatu also opened a booth to process its membership cards on the spot.
Also present at the function were Dalat District Officer, Kuah Lei Poh, Village Chief, KK Mulis B Jalim, Temenggong Hendi Suhai and local community leaders. The event was jointly organised by the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) of Kpg Sungai Kut Muara and Tunnel Racing Team Dalat.
