Bintulu - Wednesday, 23 August 2005 : The organiser of the Borneo International Kites Festival-Bintulu 2005 has been urged to bring in more foreign participants next year. Second Minister of Resource Planning and Management, Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, said the festival could be developed into a tourism product.

The one-week festival, organised by Sarawak Kites Association (PEWASA) with the support of Johor Kites Council and held at the old Bintulu Airport site, attracted kite flyers from New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Cambodia, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, Perlis, Kedah, Terengganu, Selangor and Kelantan.

Awang Tengah also agreed with a suggestion by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman, Datuk Talib Zulpilip, earlier on that Bintulu got an advantage to host the festival again next year.

Talib said the festival that started last Saturday drew over 6,000 visitors each day. A trade fair held to coincide with it was an additional attraction.

The festival organising chairman, Robert Laing Anyie also spoke at the ceremony that was also attended by Dewan Negara Member, Senator Hii Tiong Kuoh, Kemena State Asemblyman, Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Bintulu Resident, Dr Razali Abon and Bintulu Development Authority general manager, Hj. Mohidin Ishak.

Starting next year, the Borneo Kites festival here will be an annual event. Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was agreed to this, said during the closing dinner of this year's festival at civic centre last Sunday that he was impressed by the enthusiasm of the participants and the public to the event, the forst of its kind in Borneo. "I have decided, at the request of the organising committee, to help get the festival organised yearly, " he said.

The festival, he observed, was an excellent event for people from all walks of lives to come together and socialise.

Source : Borneo Post, 24 August 2005 & 30 August 2005