Penang Dragon Boat Web Site

Sunday January 24, 2010

The Star Online

GEORGE TOWN: A ritual was held yesterday to appease the soul of Chung Ling High School teacher Chin Aik Siang who was among the six victims of the dragon boat tragedy off Macallum Street Ghaut here last Sunday.

The ritual, organised by the Penang Forward Sports Club which trains the school’s dragon boat team, was led by feng shui master Kek Eng Seng.

It was held at the spot where family members of the victims gathered until their bodies were found.

There was a downpour midway through the ritual but it proceeded with Kek holding an umbrella while club members burned and threw joss paper into the air.

Chin, 28, who was the school’s dragon boat club adviser, and five students drowned when their dragon boat capsized during training.

Chin is believed to have drowned because his life jacket got hooked to the boat.

Club chairman C.H. Lim said the boat used during the training would be kept “for a period” before being used again.

“Besides appeasing Chin’s soul, we also hope the ritual could bring a sense of peace to other members of the dragon boat team when they resume training,” he added.

Lim said the dragon boat team would stop training for the time being but would still continue with other physical training.

“The team will resume training again when its members are ready to prepare for the First Club Crew Championships for Commonwealth Countries in July,” he said, but added that they would no longer train at sea.

Earlier, Lim told a press conference held jointly by his club and three other dragon boat clubs that the state government’s Penang International Dragon Boat Festival Committee should not be held responsible for the tragedy.

“Where dragon boat is concerned, there has never been a main governing body to regulate the clubs and teams in Penang,” he said.

He said Penang dragon boat clubs did not come under the Penang Dragon Boat Association and, as such, the association was not in a position to speak on their behalf.