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New Straits Times

Asean Unggas Festival in Kelantan serves to strengthen ties among member countries

KOTA BARU: The ASEAN Unggas Festival 2025, organised by the Kelantan government and held for the first time today with nearly 1,000 participants, serves as a platform to strengthen relations among member countries. Kelantan State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Kamarudin Md Nor said that the organisation of the festival is also an effort by the state government to introduce Kelantan on the international level. "We are very satisfied with the response... It reflects a shared interest in competitions, thus becoming a tourist attraction and opening opportunities for bird enthusiasts to generate income and strengthen relationships among ASEAN countries," he told reporters after officiating the festival here today. The festival features five competition categories: the zebra dove, spotted dove, myna, Serama chicken and Queen chicken, and will be included in the state's annual tourism calendar. Kamarudin said the festival received the highest response from Thailand with 100 participants, followed by Indonesia (10), Singapore (five) and Brunei (two). Meanwhile, Sabri Ab Latif, 51, from Pattani, Thailand, whose entry won the songbird category, said he started visiting Kelantan when he was 25 years old, due to his interest in the songbirds. Sabri, who keeps 30 songbirds, said that through the hobby he has managed to create a network of contacts throughout the country, especially in Kelantan, and many have even obtained hybrid bird seeds from his flock. "This activity is not only a profitable hobby, but also a platform to get to know the culture and arts of ASEAN countries, including Malaysia," he said. In the pigeon category, Nordin Lae Mina, 42, from Songkla, Thailand, who emerged winner said he started learning Malay after participating in the bird competitions in Malaysia. "Before, I didn't understand Malay at all, but after participating in various competitions in Malaysia for several years, I started to master the language," he said. The former teacher now works on bird farming full-time and owns almost 200 birds because of his deep interest in the field. – BERNAMA Nation Nov 18, 2024 @ 3:05am Asean Festival 2024 celebrates cultures, strengthens ties Nation Feb 22, 2025 @ 12:36am Asean strengthens ties with China, explores new collaboration Nation Jan 19, 2025 @ 6:14pm Malaysia strengthens regional ties at Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat Nation Jan 19, 2025 @ 5:46am Ponggal festival promotes unity among people, strengthens ties - Fahmi