>>Well done: The adult and youth teams from Selangor posing for a group picture with the VIPs after the prize presentation ceremony.
In Three Day Top Spinning Competition In Temerloh
The Government's plan to popularise top spinning (main gasing) as one of the nation's folk games (sukan rakyat) can be realised as proven by efforts taken by Persekutuan Gasing Malaysia (Pegama) in organising the National "Casing" festival held at the municipal field in Temerloh recently.
A total of 365 participants from all over the country (except Kedah) took part in the three-day top spinning competition.
Selangor emerged the overall champion in both the adult and youth categories of the competition.
Host Pahang was the first runner-up in the adult category. Pegama president Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also Bera MP, said top spinning had a long history in Malay society and was played by enthusiasts of all ages.
"The national-level competition has been held since 1990:' he said, adding that among the competition's objectives was to conserve, develop and expand the art of playing the game so that it would not disappear.
Ismail Sabri said currently, the game was played by all races and Pegama planned to organise more competitions in the future, including at Asean level.
He said an Asean-level competition had been held once in Temerloh a few years ago and it was a success.
"With our experience in organising these competitions, I am sure more people will be fascinated by the game in the near future," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong, who was present during festival said main gasing would be among the folk games that would be gazetted as a national heritage.
However, he said, non-governmental organizations should help the Government to bring all kinds of traditional games, including top spinning, into the mainstream of sports activities.
Wong said since the game had followers among non-Malays, it could help to promote unity in the country.
State Arts, Culture, Tourism, Family Development and Family Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Maznah Mazlan said the traditional game could also help the state in promoting tourism activities.
She said Pahang had two main gelanggang (arenas) for the game in Temerloh and Kuala Krau.
Gasing comes in various shapes and sizes depending on which state it is from.
Gasing begelan is popular in Johor, gasing toyol in Malacca while gasing kuno is played in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Kedah and some parts of Johor.
Other types of traditional tops are gasing tanjung, gasing pacitan, gasing lang laut and gasing uri.
Unique: Two boys demonstrating the art of supporting the spinning gasing using strings.
Skillful: A boy supporting a spinning gasing on his finger during a demonstration at the festival.
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