The High Commission of Malaysia in Ottawa, Canada took part in the 18th Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival in Ottawa on 18 June 2011.
The Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival is the largest dragon boat race festival in North America and attracts some 70,000 spectators in the Canadian capital city. This year 199 teams participated in the race.
The team of 20 peddlars, a drummer and a rower comprised of Malaysians living, studying and working in Ottawa participated in the race under the team name, Malaysia Truly Asia.
The team’s participation in the race was sponsored by Tourism Malaysia; and supported and organised by the High Commission of Malaysia, Ottawa.
This is the third time that the High Commission of Malaysia in Ottawa organised a team to participate in the race.
Malaysia Truly Asia placed second in the Embassies and Foreign Missions category and 174th overall.
The drummer, Ms. Nur Farhana Muhamad is a final year biotechnology student at Carleton University while the steerperson was Mr. Muhamad Syahmi Rahmat, a first year mechanical engineering student at Carleton University.
High Commissioner of Malaysia to Ottawa, Her Excellency Dato’ Hayati Ismail was happy with the team’s performance. She said, “Malaysia’s participation in the Ottawa Dragon Boat Race is an excellent way to promote Malaysia and strengthen community ties.”
Team captain Mrs. Rozalah Hashim, Second Secretary at the High Commission of Malaysia, Ottawa was also pleased with the results and said the team had practiced very hard for the race.
