MELAKA, March 12 (Bernama) -- The Melaka River will host the showcase of a 30.5-metre Shuang Rao dragon boat from Hunan province, China in conjunction with the 41st Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival and the Melaka Dragon Boat Festival 2026 series.
Melaka Dragon Boat Association advisor Allex Seah Shoo Chin said the dragon boat, which can accommodate about 108 participants including 100 paddlers, will be assembled using wooden materials specially brought from Hunan, with the installation and painting process expected to take about two months.
“This event is jointly organised by the Melaka Dragon Boat Association and Thien Tay Koon Temple to introduce the intangible cultural heritage from Yiyang city, Hunan, to the local community as well as tourists.
“The dragon boat was also received from a dragon boat association in Hunan as a symbol of cultural exchange between Malaysia and China,” he said at a press conference on the organisation of the 41st Melaka Dragon Boat Festival programme here today.
Allex, who is also the state executive councillor for Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, said the 30.5-metre dragon boat is expected to be among the largest ever showcased in the state and the organisers also plan to nominate it for recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records.
He said the Shuang Rao dragon boat showcase scheduled on June 14 at the Melaka River will involve 108 participants, including 100 paddlers as well as traditional musicians and the boat helmsman.
The highlight of the Melaka Dragon Boat Race 2026 is scheduled to take place on June 27 and 28 and is expected to involve more than 100 teams from within and outside the country.
-- BERNAMA
