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KLWMBC 2007
has opened the eyes
of so many people in
Malaysia. The
marching band scene
in Malaysia will
never be the same.
The education
ministry has been
one of the
beneficiary of
KLWMBC 2007. The
national
competition next
year is rumoured to
follow KLWMBC 2007.
More schools have
shown interest to
take part in next
year’s KLWMBC. Many
countries have
registered their
interest to
participate in next
year’s competition.
More jobs will be
created in this
industry. The
Ministry of Youth
and Sports is waking
up to the potential
of marching band as
a means to attract
youth involvement in
the ministry’s
programme.
I was very delighted
to see so many
people turn up for
the seven days of
fun and competition.
Everyday was
exciting,
especially for me
as I watched the
bands train and
practice to out do
each other. Imagine
having Bodindecha
and Pupuk Kaltim on
the same field! From
the very first day
when the first band
touched down there
was not a single
dull moment. We were
kept busy by so many
tasks to handle.
Imagine bands
arriving, logistical
problems of loading
and unloading
equipment. LOs
‘missing’ their
contingents. Band
members falling
sick, meals for one
thousand three
hundred
participants!
The welcoming dinner
was held at Concorde
Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
The mood was set for
the whole event by
Ashwin Willemse’s
spontaneous gesture
of getting on stage
for an impromptu
performance. Thereon
I was quietly
confident KLWMBC
2007 was going to be
a success. This was
followed by the
glittering opening
ceremony at Dataran
Merdeka. Officiated
by the Minister of
Tourism the event
saw Bodindecha of
Thailand crowned the
KLWMBC inaugural
street parade
champion. Three days
of preliminaries
were followed by the
ten bands qualifying
for the grand final.
ASMA made Malaysia
proud by coming in
second overall and
beating Pupuk Kaltim
in the process.
Controversy
followed…Questions
were raised how
could it be that a
band without colour
guards, without pit
percussion challenge
the mighty
Indonesians? Luckily
there weren’t any
Malaysian judges in
KLWMBC 2007! |
