KUCHING: Douglas anak Bujang, 40, from Serian emerged the overall champion in the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Fishing Competition held in conjunction with Kuching Festival 2018 at Kuching Garden Lake in Padungan here yesterday. Douglas, a CCR operator with CMS, went home with RM500 cash, fishing equipment and a trophy when he landed the biggest catch in the competition – a huge catfish (keli) weighing 9.250kg.
“I am very proud and happy to be the champion. This is the first time I win a first prize in a fishing competition. It is a win for all,” he said when interviewed. He revealed he used bread with cuttlefish flavour as his bait. In the second place was Awang Zulkifli; he walked away with RM300, fishing equipment and a trophy for catching a catfish (keli) weighing 6.075kg.
Third was Wilfred Sejet, who went home with RM200 cash, fishing equipment and a trophy after catching a 4.870kg catfish (keli). Ten other participants, from the fourth to the 13th placings, whose catches included “keli’ and “patin” weighing between 3.115kg and 2.235kg, went home with consolation prizes of RM100 cash plus a trophy each.
Andreas Jihog was named as the winner of the fastest catch or the first catch winner . Deputy Mayor of MBKS, Tuan Haji Hilmy Othman who gave away the prizes to the winners and officiated at the closing of the competition, said the fishing competition was one of the events organised to celebrate Kuching Festival 2018.
“ This is the idea of our Mayor who wanted all the communities to take part in the Kuching Festival,” he said. Organising chairman, Councillor Sebali Chik disclosed the competition attracted 67 participants. “This is the first time the competition is held and the response is very encouraging,” he said.
“We hope to organize a bigger one in the future with participation from all government agencies and statutory bodies. There will also be more categories and different forms of prizes,” he said, adding that this year, the competition entrance fee was only RM30 per participant. The competition was held from 10.30am to 12.30pm.
