Belaga teams shine in BalehKapit Raft Safari 2022
KAPIT: Teams from Belaga came out tops in two categories of Baleh-Kapit Raft Safari 2022, which took place here this past weekend.
Lakin Belaga emerged champion of Men’s Bamboo Raft Open race, earning the team RM6,000 and the challenge trophy.
Placing respective second and third were PBB Sarawak and Sakambak, which pocketed RM3,500 and RM2,500, respectively.
Lakin Belaga B, on the other hand, won the Paddle Boat Open category, bagging the RM4,000 cash prize. Placing respective runners-up were Landas Kapit and IPD Kapit, who received RM3,000 and RM2,000, respectively.
In the Women’s Bamboo Raft Open race, the winner of the top cash prize of RM6,000 was Biro Wanita Rumah Ukau, while finishing respective second and third were Wanita PBB Sarawak and Wanita Lakin Belaga, walking away withRM3,500and RM2,500, respectively.
For the record, Lakin Belaga, Lakin Belaga B and Wanita Lakin Belaga were sponsored by Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
The Kayak Open category was dominated by Perbadanan Sukan Sarawak, with teams 505, 503 and 504 completing the respective first, second and third spots on the podium – receiving cash prizes of RM1,000, RM800 and RM400, respectively.
For the ‘Best Decorated Raft’ award, the title and the RM2,000 prize went to Team SK Oyan, with Team Rando and Team Civil Defence Force taking home RM1,500 and RM1,000, respectively.
Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who is Kapit MP, performed the closing and prize-presentation ceremonies at Kapit Town Square here Saturday night, where he also officiated at the opening of Kapit Gawai Bazaar 2022.
The just-concluded race marked the 25th Kapit-Baleh Raft Safari series, which was introduced in 1996 by the late deputy chief minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, who was the state’s thenminister of tourism.
No event was held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, 15 teams took part in the Bamboo Raft category, eight in the Women’s Bamboo Raft category, eight in Paddle Boat Open category, and nine in Kayak Open category.
The route covered a distance of 23km, crossing both the Baleh and Rajang rivers. The starting point was Rumah Rantai at Nanga Semunteh, while the finishing point was Kapit Express Passenger Terminal here.
The raft safari was organised by Kapit Resident’s Office, in collaboration Kapit Tourism Task Group and all government agencies and non-governmental organisations under the umbrella of Sarawak’s Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, and Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development.