Life In Borneo

Posted by Xander on November 20th, 2008 in Events, Wildlife

Friday, November 14th 2008 marks a historical and monumental day in which the first major collaboration between conservationists, several corporate companies and the government took place. The BSBCC (Borneo Sun Bears Conservation Center) Fundraiser Event was held at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa at 6.30 pm and it was attended by the Chief Minister of Sabah, Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun and Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim.

It was a night equivalent of the Grammys night where all the distinguished guests and the socialites from all over Malaysia graced the event with their presence. The stage was set in an extravagant and picturesque manner identical to the forests of Borneo and the ambiance imbued throughout the grand ballroom was unlike any other.

An event as opulent as this would not be complete without the participation of celebrities, musicians and artistes. The hosts for the evening was television personality Daphne Iking, and actor/playwright/comedian Jit Murad. Also hosting was talented actresses Ida Nerina, Joanna Bessey, and Lina Teoh (Miss Malaysia World 1998 Winner, Miss World 1998 2nd Runner Up). Seeing these glamorous and talented people gracing the stage that night was indescribable and  they made the whole event inordinate and ostentatious as it already were.

Daphne Iking and Jit Murad

Ida Nerina

Lina Teoh

Joana Bessey

The show would not be complete without the talented and multifarious assortment of musicians that came on stage on that night. They started the evening with a performance by Amir Yussof, Rafique Rashid and Badar. They sang a song titled “Calling On You” which was specially written by Amir, a song beautifully composed for the Sun Bears. Rafique and Badar was also joined later by Albert Sirimal to perform a wonderful song called “House in Pooh’s Corner”.

Amir Yussof

Rafique Rashid, Amir Yussof, Albert Sirimal and Badar

Albert Sirimal

Jit Murad

The night didn’t end with there, more performances ensued the whole night including musicians like Roger Wang which did an acoustic piece of the song “Imagine” by John Lennon. One song which took the crowd into a very jovial mood was a ”re-write” version of the famous tune ‘Bear Necessities’ which was performed by Rafique Rashid and Roger Wang. All of the musicians that night was simply ingenious, exquisite and exceptional to say the least.

Roger Wang

Rafique Rashid and Roger Wang

Also included as the highlights of the night, special auctions was held for the guests. Items included art pieces from exceptional and prominent local artists such as Mariana Musa, Wong Siew Lee, Wolf Sungmanitu Peters, Cede Prudente, Tony Gonzales, and Sarah Lim. Most art pieces such as the sculpture named ‘Obama’ from Wolf Sungmanitu Peters started the bids at MYR 1500 onwards. The highest bid made that night was Sarah Lim’s painting titled “Wake Up Call” which was around at MYR 40,000+.

All the proceeds that night including the auctions would go to the construction and maintenance of the BSBCC which will be situated at Sepilok. An infrastructure dedicated to keeping and studying the endangered Sun Bears, in which Borneo is its last hope for survival due to the fact that all over the region of South East Asia, their numbers are in fast decline.

Wong Siew Te, which is also known by some as the ‘Sun Bear Man’ took the stage and told tales of Cerah, a Sun Bear which is one of the bears under his care. Cerah means ‘bright’ in the Malaysian language. Executive Director of LEAP, Cynthia Ong also came on stage to show a planned infrastructure for the sun bears which is located near the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center.

Wong Siew Te

Cynthia Ong

The MoU on BSBCC was signed by Laurentius Ambu of the Sabah Wildlife Department, Datuk Sam Mannan of Sabah Forestry Department and LEAP by Cynthia Ong and was witnessed by YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman. In his speech, he also announced a government match of one to one on total donations.

YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman

It is a milestone event in conservation history for it is the first time such a major collaboration ever took place in Malaysia. An estimate of MYR 1.3 million was raised that night towards this project and it shows that cooperation between the conservationists, large corporate companies and the government is not only possible but also can be very overwhelmingly successful.

A night of elegance, cheers and jovial ambiance within a spectacular event all for a very important cause - the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center. With such a monumental event, it was also gracefully ended as all the artistes and musicians took center stage and sang, ‘Conviction of the Heart’.

Special thanks to Wong Siew Te, Cynthia Ong and Amir Yussof for having the LifeInBorneo.com crew be part of this prestigious event.

Photos by Eshark and Zie

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Posted by Daniel on November 15th, 2008 in Events, Wildlife

The fundraising event for the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre went down successfully last night at the Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa on Friday 14th November 2008. The event was able to raise a total of RM 1.3 million, which exceeded far beyond anyone’s expectations.

A line-up of Malaysia’s best-known musicians, television and film personalities delivered “compelling conservation messages with music, comedy, bear stories, art and rare video footage of Sun Bears in the wild, as well as a Sun Bear-themed live auction of specially commissioned or donated artwork.”

The dinner was attended by a host of dignitaries including the Chief Minister of Sabah Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman as the guest of honour, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Masidi Manjun and Kota Kinabalu City Major Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim.

Stay tuned to Lifeinborneo.com as we bring you the full coverage of the event in our next article.

Update: Full article is now online. Read on>>>

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Posted by Xander on November 13th, 2008 in Wildlife

Upon reaching LEAP office, I was warmly greeted by Wong Siew Te who heads the conservation efforts with the Sun Bears. As I walked in, the place was full of energy where there were a handful of people working hard to make this event a momentous occasion. I was also greeted by Cynthia Ong, which is the Executive Director and founder of LEAP.

Lifeinborneo.com was given this enormous opportunity to meet up with these individuals whom are   energetic, passionate, enthusiastic and fervent people that have put their whole hearts into the efforts with the Sun Bears also known as Helarctos malayanus.

The Borneon Sun Bear Conservation Centre is a project aimed for the research, habitat conservation, education, and rehabilitation of the sun bears; one of the eight bear species in the world that has been somewhat overlooked by other wildlife biologists and conservationists. According to Wong, the number of sun bears in the wild especially Borneo is still unknown due to the fact that there is still insufficient data collected concerning these species.

“It is estimated to be around 8-12 sun bears per 100 square kilometers in Borneo and this number will only decrease especially with the alarming rate of poaching of these bears. Even the trappings are still rampant among those that lives near the plantations and deep edges of the the jungles just to prevent them from entering their territory. These are only a few of the reasons why this project is so important for them (the Sun Bears) and now is the time to do it.”, as Wong elaborated.

I asked Wong whether there are any sun bears still being exploited today and this is what he pointed out to me, ” Some irresponsible individuals keep certain protected species and use them as a symbol of social status in their homes and these include the Sun Bears. Sadly this ‘trend’ is still unchecked especially in Malaysia and Indonesia. The laws that are supposedly protecting these creatures are in a way still not good enough to ensure that they are taken care of properly.  They are kept in ‘private’ zoos in their back yard and are treated poorly by keeping them in small cages. Some people have different views of ‘well taken care of’ in this matter and their lack of knowledge and expertise with these animals are a great concern to us.”

It is well known that corporations in the United States and other foreign countries to give out large contributions to conservation efforts which they usually practice in their respective countries but this would be the first time this sort of collaboration is transpiring in Malaysia.

I asked Cynthia Ong if anyone ever done such an endeavor before, due to the fact that it is quite unheard of in Malaysia. She says, “It’s the first time in Malaysian history that the forestry, logging, palm oil plantations and several large corporations contributing to this conservation effort. These corporations will be collaborating with various NGO’s, Sabah Wildlife Department and working together on this ‘one-of-a-kind’ conservation effort. It is a major breakthrough for the conservationists to have this kind of reception which is very overwhelming.”

Wong explained further, “With the corporate companies utilizing the environment all these years for their interests, they too have the responsibility to do their part in helping with the conservation efforts.”

This event will not only pave the way for other parties which have not taken part in this project but also as a reminder that everyone can have a role in this endeavor which has long since been overlooked.

The contributions towards this occasion is the quintessential reason that this endeavor is taking place here in Sabah and the funds raised would be used to construct and maintain the BSBCC for the next 2 years. It is  a center where they could do more in depth cooperation with the people from the plantations, educating them about the dangers of poaching and/or trapping these endangered species.

The BSBCC, which is planned to be constructed at Sepilok would be a place to keep the confiscated bears from the wilds. Wong frequently comes to its temporary facility which is near Sepilok where there are 11 sun bears there at the moment with an enriched environment and natural forest enclosures.

“With the BSBCC, we could educate the people about the Sun Bears and create awareness among them and why it is crucial that they too do their part in helping these animals. With such an infrastructure it will also bring hope for these bears which so many people haven’t even heard of. Did you know that the biggest sun bear I’ve encountered only weighed only 56 kilograms? We have everything in our own backyard to help these bears; perfect climate and environment to further study and learn more about them”, as elaborated by Wong on the importance of such a facility here in Borneo.

With Wong Siew Te and Cynthia Ong at the helm of this monumental effort, along with other various agencies and government departments; it is not enough to help these endangered animals to secure their safe future. Without the help and support of the public it simply cannot be done, therefore; why not be part of this event and do your part in this event which promises to be an event unlike any other ever held in Malaysia. The public support is needed for this event to happen.

Quote from Wong Siew Te, ” We have to work together to make things happen and as long as we don’t lose hope, there are so much that we can achieve. We should not delay any longer and now is the right time we take up this endeavor further and push it forward and realize that it can be done, here in Malaysia. ”

Seats are still available for the Bear Necessities event. The individual seats are priced at MYR 500, MYR 1000, MYR 2000, MYR3000 and MYR 5000.

Many thanks to Cynthia Ong, Executive Director and found of LEAP and Wong Siew Te for giving us the opportunity to learn more of their work and the importance of such an undertaking.

*Photos by Roy Ajin.

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Posted by Daniel on November 3rd, 2008 in Events

A huge gathering of traders, buyers and visitors went down to the Tamu Besar Kota Belud on the fourth weekend of October. The annual event started on Saturday on the 25th of October and lasted for two days, during which many activities both traditional and modern took place.

A means to trade

In the old days, a tamu (which means Gathering in the local tongue) was a place where traders from different tribes could barter for goods with one another in an open-air market. This practice still goes on today, and has become an attraction for tourists. These open-air markets can be found in many other places of Sabah, but the biggest of them all can be found only in one place - the Tamu Besar Kota Belud. Many items of daily use can be acquired such as parangs, shoes, clothing and fresh produce.

Open-air activities

There were many activities in store everyone. There was a cooking competition and a singing contest held on the first day. Ratu Serimpak, the event’s beauty pageant was held on the second day. There were also sport competitions such as buffalo racing, relay race (where the buffalo riders must pass the baton to their horseriding team mates) and a variation of the “musical chair” game that involves horse-riding.

Throughout the two-day event, cultural performances entertained the visitors while traders displayed their goods to eager buyers.

One of the highlights of the event is the display of horsemanship by the Bajau people of Kota Belud, famously known as the Cowboys of the East. Around a hundred Bajau horsemen performed complicated manoeuvres on the field to form iconic symbols of the country, such as the hibiscus (the national flower of Malaysia). Both horsemen and steeds (which are actually ponies) were adorned in colourful costumes and bells distinctively of Bajau designs.

The image of the tamu might have changed according to times, but its purpose hasn’t changed throughout the ages. It’s a testament to Sabah’s multicultural unity, and we hope that this practice will continue on for many more generations.

Photos by Eshark of EsharkDesign.com

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Posted by Daniel on October 18th, 2008 in Events, Sports

Legend has it that more than two thousand years ago, a Greek messenger ran from the town of Marathon to the city of Athens for two days to bring news of great victory over their Persian Invaders. He ran without stopping, with only the honour of bearing the news giving strength to his weary legs and aching heels. Two millennias later, modern-day runners continued the long-running legacy of Philippides at the Likas Stadium last Sunday in the Borneo International Marathon. We didn’t wish to be left behind, so we packed our equipments and our running shoes and ran to the Likas Stadium at the hour of the owls to cover this international marathon event.

Runners, please take your place

12 October, 2008 - The event started during the early morning hours of Sunday at the Likas Stadium. The organizers - and some of the participating runners as well - had arrived at the stadium as early as 3:00AM to go through their checklists. Representatives from local and international press were also present to cover the event. It is also interesting to note that this is the first time ever that an internationally-recognized event in Borneo had invited bloggers to the event as medias - bringing the Borneon blogging community to the same level as professionals from the press.

The Marathon

The Borneo International Marathon 2008 had 5 categories, but the highlight of the event were the 3 main categories: Full Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km) and Quarter Marathon (10km).

The starting of the Full Marathon video

The Full Marathon started first at 4:30AM, followed by the Half Marathon at 6:00AM and lastly the Quarter Marathon at 7:00AM. The routes took the runners to some of the city’s most prominent tourist destination, such as Sutera Harbour, 1Borneo Hypermall and the Coastal Road - known for its scenic view of the coastline. The marathon starts and ends at the Likas Stadium.

The Half Marathon category started at 6:00AM

The Quarter Marathon category started at 7:00AM

Here are the top three finishers for the 3 main categories:

Full Marathon (Men’s Open)
1st - Sammy Kiprop Kiptoo (Kenya), 2hr 25min
2nd - Geoffrey Kiprotich Birgen (Kenya), 2hr 26min 42sec
3rd - Elkana Ruto (Kenya), 2hr 33min 18sec

Full Marathon (Men’s Veteran)
1st - Paul Hague (England), 3hr 10min 31sec
2nd - Duanis B. Indam (Malaysia), 3hr 26min 38sec
3rd - Yusop Tungkob (Malaysia), 3hr 31min 5sec

Full Marathon (Women’s Open)
1st - Frida Lodepa (Kenya), 3hr 18min 4sec
2nd - Pui Shan Chan (China), 3hr 27min 48sec
3rd - Joyce Runo Chemeli (Kenya), 3hr 32min 43sec

Full Marathon (Women’s Veteran)
1st - Tan Lee Huang (Singapore), 4hr 57min 27sec
2nd - Christina Daramat (Malaysia), 5hr 35sec
3rd - Ang Bee Hua (Singapore), 5hr 16min 7sec

Half Marathon (Men’s Open)
1st - Wilson Kibogo (Kenya), 1hr 11min 49sec
2nd - Muniandy Ramadass (Malaysia), 1hr 13min 54sec
3rd - Micah Kiprotich (Kenya), 1hr 18min 1sec

Half Marathon (Men’s Veteran)
1st - Guianus Salagan (Malaysia), 1hr 22min 2sec
2nd - Supermaniam Govindam (Malaysia), 1hr 23min 35sec
3rd - Lim Lian Hock (Singapore), 1hr 35min 2sec

Half Marathon (Women’s Open)
1st - Doris Chuchumba (Kenya), 1:24:10
2nd - Michele Tan Bee Kiang (Malaysia), 1:39:26
2rd - Mariana Mohammad (Malaysia), 1:41:11

Half Marathon (Women’s Veteran)
1st - Lian Bee Hoon (Malaysia), 1hr 44min 28sec
2nd - Kirsten Conrad (USA), 2hr 3min 4sec
3rd - Ling Nyuk Hwa (Malaysia), 2hr 4min 11sec

More results can be found at the event’s official website at http://www.borneomarathon.com/home.html

A smile to the finish line

The Greek messenger Philippides ran for two days from Marathon to Athens, but the spirit of marathon itself will continue to run around the world for many years more, crossing every boundaries. Perhaps the spirit of marathon had visited Borneo last Sunday, inspiring everyone to perform their best. Regardless, the Borneo International Marathon 2008 was a great success.

A few runners from the AirAsia Team

We at lifeinborneo.com congratulate all the runners that participated and we give our hands out for the organizers and their supporters for their tremendous effort. We were pleased to be part of this historic occasion and hope that it will become a yearly event in the Borneon calendar.

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Posted by Xander on October 16th, 2008 in Events, Sports

October 11th , 2008 - The BIM 2008 Pasta Party was held at the Likas Sports Complex Indoor Multipurpose Hall at 6.30pm. Among those that attended the event were the events organizers, local press and various medias including celebrity bloggers and international runners from all over the world. The event was held to welcome the participants especially the international runners to Borneo.

International participants and celebrity runners..

The event was an opportunity to mingle with the participants and organizers alike. Some of the celebrity bloggers that attended that evening was Kenny Sia, recognized as one of Malaysia’s most famous blogger. He also participated in last years Penang Bridge Marathon. Another notable person which attended that evening was the ‘Cat Woman’ which hails from Singapore. Jenap M Said (aka Cat Woman) is widely known for running in a cat woman costume at almost every marathon event held in Singapore and throughout the neighboring countries. Some of the runs she has participated in the past were KL Marathon, Great Eastern 30km, Pacesetters 15 New Balance Run, Penang Bridge Marathon and KL Mizuno Run. In Thailand she also joined the Hatyai Nature Run, Laguna Phuket International Marathon and Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon.

Kenny Sia and Catwoman

And the show begins…

It was a night to relax and enjoy the evening with friends both new and old. Besides the good food and mingling that took place, traditional dances were performed that night. With a wide variety of ehnic backgrounds, Borneo is never short of eloquent performances such as the Sumazau dance and even from the far south of Sabah; a variation of the Daling-Daling dance. The performers even invited a few people from the crowd to join them on the stage especially the international runners and notably the AirAsia staff which was also present that night.

Sumazau Dance

The Kenyan runners join the Sumazau Dance

Kate from AirAsia also tries the Sumazau Dance

A variation of the Daling-Daling Dance

The runners join the Malay Joget Dance

Other than the dance performance was also the demonstration of the Borneon blowpipe. Most of the crowd also were invited to try out this weapon which was used by the tribes of Borneo a long time ago. Though they were only aiming it at the balloons tied to the ends of a long pole, it still looked like a hard task in itself and obviously enjoyable too as the people cheered at every target hit.

Borneon Blowpipe demonstration

It was a night that none may soon forget and the next day happens to be a long day indeed for both the participants and the organizers.

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Posted by Xander on October 11th, 2008 in Events, Sports

11 October, 2008 - Conference started at 1.00pm at the lobby of Tune Hotel in 1Borneo Hypermall. The floor was quite packed with the media from both bloggers and the press. 8 AirAsia staff were present for the press conference and photo shoot session which includes the various medias.

Most of the AirAsia staff that is joining the Borneo International Marathon are mostly from Kuala Lumpur while 7 staffs comes from Kota Kinabalu. From the Q&A session, we also learned that 13 of them (AirAsia) will be running for the half marathon circuit while 6 will be entering the quarter marathon circuit. Only one staff will be running the full circuit(21km) which is the captain of the team, Captain Razali.

Most of the team members joining have had experience in long distance runs like Kate, which have joined the the 10K Power Run held in Kuala Lumpur.

Kate

The only stewardess from AirAsia that is joining the marathon is Lily. According to the officials from AirAsia, she is promised by AirAsia CEO Datuk Tony Fernandez, MYR 1000 for each 1KM she completes. When asked how far she thinks she could run for concerning the offer, she said “of course 21KM!”.

Lily

Tonight the Pasta Party will be held at 6:30pm in the Stadium Likas Multipurpose Hall and those who will be attending are the officials, the organizing committee, international runners, local press and bloggers.

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Posted by Daniel on September 28th, 2008 in Adventures, Destinations

Sabah is known for her treasures of the natural world, and one of them is the highland village of Kundasang which lies at the shadow of the granite-clad Mount Kinabalu. Located in the Kundasang valley at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres above sea level, it is one of the highest highland village on the Crocker Range and has one of the highest concentration of farming community in Sabah - quite possibly the whole of Borneo.

Sabah’s original Green Town

The climate of Kundasang makes it ideal for the local farming communities to plant temperate vegetables, and this is evident with the abundance of green edibles that are sold here daily. The most popular export of Kundasang are cabbages, but other vegetables are also planted here such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. These produce will eventually wind up in markets all over Sabah, especially in the west coast.

A picturesque surrounding

Kundasang boasts some of the most spectacular scenic views in Sabah, from the pine forest hills and the cascading mountain terrain, to the evening rays of the setting sun cast through shifting clouds. Not to mention a panoramic view of Mount Kinabalu itself. Combine that with the cool highland climate, and what you have is a perfect environment for visitors to come, relax and enjoy.

The surrounding area of Kundasang is dotted with lodges and chalets - a perfect location for resorts. It is also a mere 6 kilometres away from the Kinabalu Park Headquarters, which is the starting point for visitors who wish the hike up Mount Kinabalu.

Welcome to Kundasang

If you are visiting Sabah, make Kundasang as part of your travel destination. We assure you that it will be an unforgettable experience!

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Posted by Eshark on September 10th, 2008 in Destinations, History

Launched in 2006, the Tun Mustapha Gallery was established to honour a great leader who was a visionary in leading Sabah to Independence. He helped to lay the foundations of a modern and progressive state within the federation of Malaysia (16 September, 1963). Tun Mustapha was the first Governor (1963-1965) of the Malaysian state of Sabah. He was also the third Chief Minister of Sabah from 1967 to 1975. He passed away on 2nd January, 1996 at the age of 76.

Located in premises that once housed the Sabah State Assembly from 1980 - 1995, the Gallery tells the life story of the late Tun Datu Hj. Mustapha bin Datu Harun. Featuring a combination of impactful graphic panels, audio visual-visual and artifacts, the Gallery unfolds the life of this remarkable man, from his humble beginnings to his illustrious term as the former Chief Minister of Sabah.

A classic car from a model of Daimler which before have been used by Tun himself during his official transportation was showcase in the main hall of the gallery.

The Gallery also operates a Souvenir Shop that specialises in high quality crafts that are unique and beautiful, inspired by the traditional motifs of the indigenous tribes of Sabah while fashioned after mainstream culture.

The Tun Mustapha Gallery is located at the Podium Level of Tun Mustapha Tower (formerly known as Yayasan Sabah Tower)

The Tun Mustapha Gallery operates from :
Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday - Closed except Public & School Holiday.

Entrance Fee :
Visitors without MyKad (NRIC) RM15
Visitors with MyKad(NRIC) RM5
Under 12 without MyKad (NRIC) RM5
Goverment staff RM3.50
Students staff RM1.50

additional info source: sabahtourism.com

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Posted by Daniel on August 28th, 2008 in Events

Hundreds of cat lovers went to the Borneo International Cat Show at the Sabah Trade Centre in Likas on the 23rd and 24th of August, 2008. The event, organised by Borneo Cat Club and Cat Fanciers’ Association (USA) and sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, was the first International Cat Show ever in to be held in Sabah.

The Borneo International Cat Show 2008 was originally intended as a one-day event, but due to overwhelming response from the public the organisers decided to make it a two-day event instead.

The event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin. It was an event of two days of cats galore, 4 Rings All Breed with 2 Rings open on day 1 and another 2 Rings on day 2.

The Borneo International Cat Show 2008 is part exhibition and part competition, where the cats themselves are the centre of attraction. More than a dozen cat owners from Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak participated in this event to show off their beloved feline pets to the public. Cats of many different breeds and colours could be seen on the exhibition floor, ranging from the Persian Longhair to the sleek Siamese.

While the cats on display were the main spectacle for the visitors, it was the cat competition that were the main focus of many of the participants. The cat competition had four categories in which the cats were judged in, which are the Championship Class, Premiership Class, Kitten Class and Household class. The competition also seperated the cats into two groups: the longhaired cats and the shorthaired cats.

The competition was held on both days, but on the second and final day of the competition the scores of all the cats were tallied to see who won the top three spot.

There were also special awards such as Best in Colour, Best in Breed and Judge’s Favourite where each judge nominate their favourite cat in the show. The panel of judges were Becky Orlando, Wayne Trevathan and Diana Rothermel from U.S.A. and Rod U’ren from Australia.

A collections of awards to be grab for cat lovers

The first ever Borneo International Cat Show had a pleasently warm reception, proving that a show such as this is always a welcome event in Kota Kinabalu. We hope to see the Borneo International Cat Show return next year with more people and, of course, more adorable cats.

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