PARTICIPANTS of the annual Penang International Dragon Boat Regatta this year will be paying tribute to the fire victims of the deadly Tai Po fire in Hong Kong and those affected by the floods.
The event this weekend at the Straits Quay commercial complex in Tanjong Tokong, has rowers sharing the grief with their Hong Kong comrades, who lived on the island where the tragic fire roared.
To date, it has claimed up to 128 lives with 200 reportedly unaccounted for.
Participant Ng Tze Hou, the only Malaysian in Hong Kong’s Pink Power, a cancer survivors’ dragon boat team expressed sorrow over the tragedy in which a firefighter also perished.
“Most of us live far from the Wang Fuk (apartments), so we are safe, but the news is devastating. Our prayers are with the survivors,” he said.
“All the teams come here to win — that’s the aim. But we are also here to pay tribute to the cancer survivor community and the victims of the fire,” he added.
Pink Power began under a cancer survivors’ fund before becoming self-funded.
The team now has about 100 members, with 30 competing in Penang.
The event also embraces inclusivity of the unfortunate, with two other teams made up of visually impaired athletes and participants with physical disabilities taking part.
State executive councillor Wong Hon Wai, who oversees the tourism portfolio, visited the site to inspect preparations and cheer on participants, said he was moved by the resolve of the Hong Kong rowers.
The event is arguably one of the top dragon boat competitions in the world.
“The tug-of-war event is a unique sport combining two ancient cultural elements — dragon boats and tug-of-war. The combination preserves tradition while developing into a sport that requires strength, skill and teamwork,” said Wong.
Wong sensed the energy in the air among the rowers, including Penang participants, saying there is resolve to overcome the tragedy and the intermittent rain.
Wong noted that the tug-of-war event was introduced in 2023, when he took over as organising committee chairman, and has since grown in popularity.
The event has drawn 54 teams from over 11 countries and regions, with an estimated 1,600 participants.
The teams hail from Australia, China (including 10 from Hong Kong), Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, Liechtenstein, Chinese Taipei and Malaysia.
For further info, visit www.penangdragonboat.gov.my - November 29, 2025.
