Putrajaya's Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Returns

By Ali Imran Mohd Noordin KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- The annual Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta will be back in town to showcase 25 hot air balloons from 12 countries. The fourth edition of the fiesta from 15 to 18 March is set to inspire viewers once again with hot air balloons that come in various shapes, sizes and colours. Visitors to last years' edition that numbered 250,000 will recall hot air balloons floating over Putrajaya's sky in the shape of Darth Vader, the character in Star Wars, and the cartoon character Doraemon, among many of the extraordinary shapes along with original ones. The 2012 fiesta was launched at Putrajaya recently by the Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin. PRIDE OF THE NATION “This is one event that makes Malaysia proud, as it is truly and entirely a home-grown international event that draws participation from locals and foreigners from around the world,” said Raja Nong Chik. Raja Nong Chik opined that the fiesta would serve as a development programme for the younger generation and would expose them to a worthwhile leisure activity. Maintaining its 2011 theme “1World. 1Malaysia. 1Fiesta,” the Millennium Monument in Putrajaya will once again host the thrilling fiesta. “There are very few annual events in Malaysia where people from all walks of life converge in one place over a four-day period,” said Chief Executive Officer of AKA Balloons Sdn Bhd Khairudin Abdul Rani. He said the fiesta has garnered strong interest and participation from inside and outside the country, a testament to the success of previous editions and the allure of its theme. Among countries that have confirmed their participation are United States, Belgium, Poland, Netherlands, France and Thailand. With participation from almost every continent of the world, this event is a practical platform to bring the world together. “Last year, we had 28 balloonist but this year we had to cut down the number to 25 due to space constraints and safety reasons,” said Khairudin NIGHT GLOW AND PLAYING CATCH For one night, balloonist will keep their propane burners on and raise their envelopes, giving a spectacular scene to the area. On top of that, a fireworks show will add colour to the night. “This ‘night glow’ will take place on the night of 17th March. This is our yearly routine,” said Khairudin. Tengku Abdillah Tengku Hassan, President of Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation said this year’s event would inject a new element with a game called Hare and Hound, a game similar to playing catch among the balloonists. “For each day of the event, one Malaysian balloon will become the ‘hare’ where it will fly far, before the rest of the balloons lift off, playing ‘hound’. The hounds’ objective is to follow the same path and land at the same place as the hare, as accurately as possible,” he said Though it sounds simple, this game can be very tough. Factors like change of altitude and differences in wind current will test the pilots’ level of skill. “The hot air balloon that collects the highest number of points will be announced as winner on the last day of event,” said Tengku Abdillah. Apart from ballooning activities, the fiesta will host a bicycle fiesta, street touch rugby, helicopter rides, water sports activities and extreme sports activities. -- BERNAMA