YB. R.S.N RAYER - A.D.U.N. SERI DELIMA, PENANG

PENANG: The Tourism Ministry has yet to release the RM1mil promised for the funding of the sixth International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championship (IDBF CCWC) that Penang is hosting from July 31 to Aug 4.

State Tourism Development, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang told a press conference on Monday that the ministry had promised to allocate the sum three years ago when the state placed its bid to host the event.
Law urged the ministry to honour its pledge, saying that the state was short on time to make the necessary arrangements and it would affect the image of Penang and Malaysia if the event were cancelled.
He said 159 teams with more than 4,400 participants from 22 foreign countries have registered for the CCWC and the eighth Asian Dragon Boat Championship (ADBC), to be held concurrently at the Teluk Bahang Dam, adding that this was the first time an Asian country would be hosting the event.

Law said by the end of last year, the Ministry forwarded only RM500,000 to the Penang Tourism Action Council (PTAC) for the CCWC but the funds had yet to be transferred as the PTAC was awaiting the ministry's approval.
He also said the state government had approved RM200,000 for the two events, which would cost the organisers an estimated RM2mil. The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), as the main sponsor, will bear the infrastructure costs at the site.

Law is chairing the organising committee for both events in his capacity as the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival (PIDBF) committee chairman.