Malaysia: Practitioners Participate in Dragon Boat Race, Chairman Expresses Gratitude (Photos)

By a Falun Dafa practitioner in Malaysia

(Clearwisdom.net) Malaysian Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the Malaysia-Singapore Dragon Boat Race held on May 20, 2007 along the bank of Malacca River. The race was sponsored by the Malacca Dragon Boat Association, aiming at promoting traditional Chinese culture, and cooperating with Visit Malaysia Year 2007. Women Dragon Boat Team composed of Falun Gong practitioners won the Bronze Award.

The Divine Land Marching Band performs during the Malaysia-Singapore Dragon Boat Race

Representative of the Women Dragon Boat Team composed of Malaysian Falun Dafa practitioners accept the Bronze Medal from Dato' lawyer Gu Nai Guang

Dato' Wong Shu Tong, "I'm grateful for them (Divine Land Marching Band) to add more variety to the race, making the race more exciting."

Falun Gong practitioners clarify facts about Falun Gong to the audience members during the race

People come to learn the facts about Falun Gong

At around 9:00 a.m., Falun Dafa's Divine Land Marching Band composed of about 200 people from Taiwan performed, "Falun Dafa Is Good," "Fa Rectifies the Universe," "Delivering Precious Gifts,"and "Fa Drums and Trumpets Shake Ten Directions." Strong and vigorous music attracted many people to watch and take photos. Practitioners displayed truth-clarification materials and photo boards at the site to provide people from different places in Malaysia and Singapore who came to watch the race an opportunity to learn about facts.

The race this year attracted 17 teams to participate, which is five more entries than previous years. Falun Gong practitioners formed a men's team and a women's team to participate. Malacca State councilor, Dato' lawyer Gu Nai Guang hosted the opening ceremony and award ceremony on behalf of Chief Minister of Malacca State. The sponsor also invited Malacca city MP, lawyer Ong Nai Zhi to host the opening ceremony.

The race went on with frequent unexpected situations. In the semi-finals, a boat was torn by participants and caused a delay of the race. Then in the finals, a scuffle occurred between Singapore Dragon Boat Association Men Team A and Penang City Garden Youth Dragon Boat Team. Facing such unexpected situations, the organizer that has had 25 years of experience of hosting dragon boat race felt it was difficult to handle. At that time, a coordinator suddenly thought of Falun Gong. He asked a practitioner who wore a Falun Gong T-shirt to turn around. He wanted those arguing to see the three words written on the back of his T-shirt "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and then said to a person nearby that if everybody can act according to these three words, particularly "Forbearance," the conflict would not occur or would be easily resolved. Finally, Singapore Dragon Boat Association Men Team A decided to drop out so as to resolve the impasse.

The race concluded at about 3:00 p.m.. The male gold, silver and bronze awards were respectively issued to The Penang City Garden Youth Dragon Boat Team and Singapore Dragon Boat Association Men Team B and Singapore Seahawk Dragon Boat Team. The female gold, silver awards were respectively issued to Singapore Dragon Boat Association Women Team A and Singapore Dragon Boat Association Women Team B. The Women's Dragon Boat Team composed of Malaysian Falun Dafa practitioners won the Bronze Award.

The Malaysian Dragon Boat Association has hosted the dragon boat race for the past 25 years since 1983. Dato' Wong Shu Tong said in an interview after the race, "Though there were many unexpected incidents happening during the race, everybody completed the race to promote culture and the sporting spirit." Regarding Falun Dafa's Divine Land Marching Band that came to cheer the race, he said that he was grateful to them for adding more variety to the race, making the race more exciting.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/5/22/155388.html

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