KUCHING: Sarawak will for the first time be vying for the Lion Dance Pole-Jumping category at the Malaysia National Dragon & Lion Dance Championship 2018 from Dec 14 to 16.
The state will be represented by Tung Fatt Youth Lion Dance Association based here.
The team, comprising 25 members and led by their manager Melvin Romie Mikat, left for the championship at the Olympic Council Malaysia Hall, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.
On Wednesday, they received an Minor Rural Project (MRP) grant from the Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah at a simple ceremony held at the office of Tasik Biru Assemblyman, Datuk Henry Harry Jinep in Batu Kawa, here.
Henry, who gave away the grant and also the state colours to the team’s manager Romie on behalf of Karim, said the state was proud to have Tung Fatt representing Sarawak.
“If we can win the first place, we would be representing the country to compete at the world championship in Macau sometime next year.”
He hoped that Tung Fatt, which is also very active in charitable works here and in Bau district by giving food rations to the needy, would do Sarawak proud.
Romie, who is also the president of Tung Fatt Association Kuching, said all the 13 states in the country will take part in the Lion Dance pole-Jumping category.
Despite being first timers in the category at the national-level, he said Tung Fatt aimed to be the champions.
“If we can win the first place, we would represent the country to compete at the world championship in Macau sometime next year.
“We have been training hard for the championship and have high hopes of creating waves and hopefully emerge as the champions at the championship,” he added.
According to Romie, the team had been involved in Lion Dance Pole-Jumping in their fifth year now. Previously, they have also competed in the same category in Bintulu, Tawau and Sandakan.
