Proud owners at Sarawak Open Birds Singing Competition
SIBU: Some 400 singing birds of different species filled the usually quiet morning at Taman Selera Harmoni here yesterday with their melodies.
These colourful avians belong to about 200 owners from across the state taking part in the Sarawak Open Birds Singing Competition held for the first time in Sibu.
The inaugural one-day event was organised by Sibu Division Birds Association in collaboration with Taman Selera Harmoni Sibu Muslim Traders Association and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) here.
State Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth Exco member Abdul Ghani Sulhi graced the event.
According to the association’s chairman Mohd Annuar Mahrup, the birds contested under eight categories: ‘Murai Batu A’, Murai Kampung A’, Murai Batu B’, ‘Murai Kampung B’, ‘Kenari’, ‘Serindit’, Lovebird and ‘Mata Putih’.
The most popular categories were ‘Murai Batu’ and ‘Murai Kampung’ while the team of jury was from Indonesia.
“The key objective is to expose Sibu folk to the hobby of keeping birds for singing competitions.
“Locals usually keep cats and dogs as pets. You rarely hear about people keeping birds, but it’s a popular hobby in Kuching and Miri,” Mohd Annuar said.
Owing to the good response, he hopes to make the competition an annual event, and hopes for more sponsors.
Mohd Annuar said the event was felt in the local tourism industry as the four homestays in Kampung Bandong here were snapped up by the participants.
“They can’t stay in hotels as they have brought along their birds. The event also benefited Taman Selera Harmoni traders,” he said.
A spokesman for the jury, Rusmin from ‘Persatuan Juri Burung’, Kapuas Hulu, Indonesia said bird singing competitions are held monthly in Indonesia.
“We have been involved in judging for nearly five years and have travelled to many places in Indonesia, Kuching, Sri Aman and now Sibu in Sarawak.
He described Sibu as a strategic place to hold such competitions and commended the good response from bird lovers and enthusiasts.