Bandar Seri Begawan- A prize presentation for participants in the 1st Melabau Casing Championship Cup 2006 was held yesterday, at the Jade Restaurant.
Present as guest of honour at the ceremony was Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awg I lj Mohr] Yussof, the Minister of Home Affairs.
Prior to the prize presentation, a speech was made by Hj Ladi bin I lj Ali in which he said the competition was a great success because it was witnessed not only by locals who came to see the event, but also tourists and foreigners.
The `gasing` or `traditional top spinning` championship saw the participation of some 177 participants in six competing teams, namely Kampong Manggis Bersatu, Kg Tanjong Nangka, Kg Sengkurong, Kg Kupang, Kg Bukit Panggal and the Prisons Department.
Kampong Manggis Bersatu emerged champions after scoring 16 points in the competition. The team looks home the champions` cup, individual medals and a B$2,300 cash prize.
Runners-up were Kg Tanjong Nangka (12 points), who look home individual medals and a $1,700 cash prize.
Prisons Department finished second runners-up. They received individual medals and $1,500. There were no real losers in the competition, as the remaining three teams took home certificates of participation and $400 for each learns.
The purpose of the competition was to foster closer relations between family and friends as well as between participants. The event was also meant to preserve and hand down the `gasing` tradition in Brunei to the younger generations and to spread its popularity with in the community, whilst at the same time promoting gasing as a product of tourism.
Source: www.bruneidirect.com (2 Juli 2007)
