Bintulu : The People should not regard Bintulu as a place where they can make money only but also a town of healthy people who know how to set time aside to have some fun. Chief MinisterPehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in pointing this out yesterday said even though Bintulu was an industrial town where activities were supposed to be concentrated on manufacturing and so forth, the people must not get bogged down by workand the thought of making money.
"We must have some time for fun," he said when speaking at the closing of the 4th International Borneo Kite festival held at the old airport site here. Taib said he would like to seee Bintulu not just as a place capable of creating economic opportunities and wealth but also a town of robust people full of zest for life. "It must have been quite fun for the people in Bintulu to see their skyline made more jubilant," he said as he looked up at hundreds of colourful kite flying high in the air.
While thanking the organiser - Bintulu Development Authority (BDA)- and others involved in making the event grader this year, Taib noted that the response from foreigners towards the annual event had been improving since it started in 2005. " Thank you for making the occasion a happy one. I congratulate the organising committee for making this year's festival much livelier," said Taib who is also the chairman of BDA. Taib also praised the organising committee for its success inflying 1,655 kites simultaneously on Aug 17 during Pesta Gudi Sarawak, and with that getting the event recorded in the Malaysia Book of Records(MBR).
The festival was also organised in conjunction with BDA's 30th Anniversary and Sarawak's 45th year of progress within Malaysia. Two kite flying specialist from New Zealand, Peter Lyn and Greg Hanson presented a giant kite in the form of a hornbill measuring 40 feet by 80 feet to the state goverment. BDA deputy chairman Dato Seri Celestine Ujang Jilan, Jepak assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Bintulu Resident Dr Razali Abon, BDA general manager Mohidin Ishak and the Malaysian Kite Council secretary Ismail Matair were among those present at the function.
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