PUTRAJAYA, 16 July 2013 – The month of September is set to offer local and foreign visitors a series of exciting sports and cultural events. Some of the highlights include:


WHICH BOAT IS THE FASTEST?

It is Sarawak’s turn to host the Regatta! With the theme ‘Race for Harmony’ this year, the Sarawak Regatta 2013 involves 44 boat races including 5 races under the international events.

The main highlight of the event is the Dragon Boat Race which involves participants from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Aside from boat races, there will be side attractions like “Brooke Swim”, kayaking and duck catching competitions.

Organiser:    Resident Office Kuching Division & Ministry of Tourism Sarawak
Date:        6 – 8 September 2013
Venue:        Kuching Waterfront, Kuching, Sarawak
Contact:    +6 082 422 263/ +6 082 243 301/ +6 082 241 660
Website:    www.sarawakregatta.com/


Only Marlin and Sailfish!

Yes, the Royal Pahang Billfish International Challenge 2013 only accepts Marlin (1000 pts) and Sailfish (600 pts) in their annual off-shore catch and release fishing competition.

Angling enthusiasts from as far as the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan are coming to participate in this adventurous and eco-friendly sport. The billfish are on their active migration passing through the Rompin area to Australia. Come and catch them all!

Organiser:    Persatuan Memancing Malaysia (PeMM)
Date:        13 – 15 September 2013
Venue:        Pantai Lanjut, Rompin, Pahang
Contact:    +6 09 4191 242


UP, UP AND AWAY!

Glide across the sky, feel the earth beneath you and finally swoop down like an eagle at the Kokol International Paragliding Race 2013!

The event has attracted many local and foreign pilots from as far as Russia, Poland and Switzerland every year due to the beautiful natural landscape of Mt Kinabalu. Gliders will definitely enjoy the panoramic view of the coastal area in Sabah.

Organiser:    Kinabalu Paragliding Club
Date:        16 – 18 September 2013
Venue:        Kampung Kokol, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Contact:    +6 019 860 8700
Website:    www.sabahtourism.com


LIGHT UP YOUR LANTERN!

The Central Market of Kuala Lumpur will be gaily decorated with thousands of colorful and brightly lit lanterns lining up the streets to celebrate the 1Malaysia Lantern Tourism Festival 2013.

Also known as the Mid-Autumn or Mooncake Festival, highlights of the Lantern Festival include the lantern procession, acrobatic performances, as well as festive delights such as moon cakes and baby yams. It’s a celebration not only for Malaysian Chinese but everyone in the country as well!

Organiser:    Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia
Date:        19 September 2013
Venue:        Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
Website:    www.motac.gov.my
Contact:    +6 03 8831 7580


MOONCAKE FESTIVAL LABUAN 2013

Besides West Malaysia, the Mooncake Festival is also being celebrated in Labuan!

Come to the Labuan Mooncake Festival 2013 and enjoy the programmes such as lantern procession, lion dance, fireworks and more. Take delight in the colourful lanterns displayed during the event while enjoying the variety of mooncakes available.

Organiser:    Persatuan Belia Beliawanis Tiong Hua Kampung Sungai Keling
Date:        19 – 21 September 2013
Venue:        Kampung Sungai Keling, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan
Contact:    +6 012 833 0560 (Mr. Lim Chee Hong)
Website:    www.labuantourism.my


TENNIS FEVER IS HERE!

The ATP World Tour’s Asian swing begins in Southeast Asia at the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2013, welcoming the best men's tennis players.

Other than world-class tennis action, highlights of the event include the signature catch-the-ball promotions with prizes, the on-court coin toss and also daily autograph sessions with the players. Come and support them.

Organiser:    Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia
Date:        21 – 29 September 2013
Venue:        Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
Website:    http://www.malaysianopentennis.com/  
Contact:    +6 03 8891 7517 / +6 017 361 5229


LABUAN ARTS FESTIVAL 2013

Labuan Arts Festival 2013 is back with a combination of arts and music as the major attractions of the event. The festival aims to promote the unique local cultures especially the ethnicities in Borneo including Labuan, Sabah and Sarawak.

Highlights of the festival include the Top Spinning Tournament (gasing pangkah), Graffiti Spray Art Competition and Pearl of Labuan Busking Competition. Besides that, visitors will also be able to enjoy stage shows by local artistes, cultural dance and handicraft exhibition.

Organiser:    Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Labuan Office
Date:        27 – 29 September 2013
Venue:        Labuan International Seasport Complex
Contact:    +6 087 422 622
Email:        dewi@motour.gov.my

GUNUNG JERAI MOUNTAIN BIKE CHALLENGE 2013

Catch the next mountain bike challenge in the nation at Gunung Jerai Mountain Bike Challenge 2013!

The race requires participants to tackle a 48km course comprising an array of challenging terrain including roads, rural area, rubber and palm oil estate. The toughest part which will put their fitness to test is to overcome the 781 metres of ascents and descents throughout the race.

Organiser:    Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Kedah Office
Date:        28 – 29 September 2013
Venue:        Gunung Jerai, Kedah
Contact:    +6 04 735 1030


All information is correct at time of publication. Visitors are advised to contact the event organiser for the latest updates.



For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/

MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia at all levels. Since its inception, Tourism Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds and it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2012, Malaysia registered 25 million tourist arrivals and RM60.6 billion in tourist receipts, placing the country firmly as the 10th most popular tourism destination in the world.

In 2014, Malaysia will celebrate its fourth VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR (VMY) with the theme “Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia”. The VMY 2014 promotional campaign has started this year with a series of year-long special events and activities leading to VMY 2014. It will contribute to the Government’s target to receive 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020, as outlined in the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan (MTTP) 2020.     

Press contact:
Media Relations Unit:
Mr. Razaidi Abd Rahim, Senior Asst. Director, Communications & Publicity Division
Email: razaidi@tourism.gov.my

Editorial Unit:
Ms. Anis Rozalina Ramli, Senior Editor, Communications & Publicity Division
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my