The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Dragon boat racing has evolved into an international sport across the globe
- Students welcomed at orientation event
- Being business savvy
| Dragon boat racing has evolved into an international sport across the globe Posted: 03 Jan 2013 06:53 PM PST MALACCA: Dragon boat racing originated about 2,500 years ago in China during the Han Dynasty as a traditional festival that evolved from myths and legends. Multi-coloured boats were decorated with ferocious-looking dragonheads, scaly bodies and elaborate tails that rose out of the sea. They were huge in length and just wide and long enough for 22 people to sit in. Strong and experienced men were required to power a competitive boat so fishermen were recruited to become oarsmen while crews comprise a leader, a steerman and a drummer. Malacca Dragon Boat Association chairman, Wong Soo Tang speaking at the Dragon Boat Race Contest held in conjunction with the historic city's 750th year anniversary celebration along the Malacca river mouth at Taman Kota Laksamana noted that in modern dragon boat racing, there are two types of activities, namely sports racing, as practiced by International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) member organisations and for festival racing. "Over the past 25 years and since the formation of the IDBF and its Continental Federations for Asia and Europe, dragon boating sport has gradually spread beyond Asia to Europe, North America, Australia and Africa, becoming a popular international sport with a growing number of participants," he said. Today, Wong said dragon boat racing in both sports and festival, is among the fastest growing team water sports, with thousands of participants in various organisations and clubs in over 60 countries. During the event here, 12 teams with participants from all walks of life, competed in the men's cateogry while six teams participated in the women's category while there were four teams in the mixed category. The Barisan Nasional's Kota Melaka Parliamentary Supporters Club chairman Datuk Mohammad Ahad who was one of the guests of honour, said water sport is recognised for the camaraderie, strength and endurance fostered amongst athletes and has also become a very popular corporate and charitable sport. More importantly, he said the sport is no more monopolised by one community, as every other Malaccans are now taking interest in such water sport. "I am indeed very happy to see such an event becoming important and prestigious here and am confident that this will be an exceptional tool for generating worldwide interest and coverage for Malacca in particular and Malaysia in general," said Mohammad who contributed a sum of RM5,000 towards funding the cost of holding the contest. He added that such a sport too helps to promote the acceptance of 1Malaysia concept and further strengthen unity to ensure stability towards achieving progress and development for the rakyat and nation. Political secretary to the Prime Minister's Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Wong Nai Chee (ex-Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka) in his address said such a contest can be transformed into an international sport and tourism promotion event for the state. Both Mohammad and Nai Chee reminded the athletes to showcase the Malaysian sportsmanship when competing in other circuits around the world. The athletes, the two leaders felt should also develop teambuilding spirit in preparation for both national and international competitions that emphasise discipline, diligence and cooperation. |
| Students welcomed at orientation event Posted: 03 Jan 2013 06:49 PM PST MALACCA: SJK(C) Pay Hwa here held its orientation day to welcome the Primary One freshies to the school. Barisan National (BN) Kota Melaka Parliamentary Supporters Club chief, Datuk Muhamad Ahad who was the guest of honour at the annual event congratulated the school for holding such a noble event to welcome the pupils on board. According to Muhamad who was one time Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chief of a secondary school here for 15 years said that the orientation would help new students to organize their classes, acclimate to student life, and introduce themselves to other new students. During the event, as promised in May this year during the a teachers' day celebration dinner, Muhamad had agreed to contribute an additional sum of RM2,000 on top of RM5,000 to defray the cost of holding the dinner for the poor and excellent pupils and subsequently, handed monetary aid of RM100 each to 10 needy pupils and monetary incentive to 10 excellent pupils last Friday. Muhamad urged parents present to embrace technology and work together with teachers to create a synergy for success to benefit their children in the long run. He also urged those present to embrace technology and appreciate what they have now compared to the bygone years. The school headmistress, Ong Siew Kuan in her speech thanked Muhamad for his contribution and added that his gratitude to the school PTA under the able leadership of Vincent Low making it possible for the school to install an eco-smart multimedia board which cost RM18,000. "Now our pupils can not only learn but also learn more effectively," she added. Low also expressed his sincere gratitude to a optical company for sponsoring seven pairs of prescribed glasses to the underprivileged and 10 discount vouchers for the school community. |
| Posted: 03 Jan 2013 06:49 PM PST JOHOR BARU: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) wants to produce more business savvy graduates and entrepreneurs while studying at the university through its Job Creation programme. Its vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said apart from picking up entrepreneurial skills, undergraduates could also earn revenue by setting up a spin-off company. He said undergraduates were required to work in a team of three to five people and establish a micro-sized company in order for them to bid for the UTM in-house projects. "The bidding process is similar to what is taking place in the procurement of the actual tendering process in the real business world,'' said Dr Zaini. He said this when met after moderating a public lecture by the associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Earth (EOE) and Texas Tech University, Department of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Dr Mark A. McGinley. Dr Zaini said the programme which was launched in September 2012, had seen the university's property and management office awarding six projects worth between RM5,000 and RM48,600 each to five spin-off companies. Among the projects including enhancing and improving executive management system procedures, integrated training system, planning of commercial area at the UTM Skudai campus and compilation of data for buildings. The Job Creation programme is divided into two parts; where in the first semester undergraduates have to come out with a proposal to set up their companies and register them in order to earn one credit point. In the second semester, they will earn two credit points and are required to bid for the in-house projects offered by the property and management office. "This programme offers undergraduates to sharpen their innovative and creativity and to become job providers instead of job seekers upon leaving the university,'' he added. Dr Zaini said among others they would learn on how to manage a business, management, project planning, human resources management and future business planning. In unrelated matter, he said UTM has agreed in principle to contribute related articles on the Malaysia and Asian biodiversity to the online EOE. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Metro: South & East To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan