TAWAU TO HOST NUSANTARA SILAT FESTIVAL IN MAY

TAWAU (Malaysia), April 15 (Bernama) -- Tawau will create martial arts
history of sorts after being chosen to host the International Invitational
Nusantara Silat Festival 2011.

Festival director Zaid Abd Hamid said the event, to be held from May 15 to
19, was expected to attract about 700 silat exponents not only from South-East
Asia but also from European countries such as Germany and Poland.

"The silat festival comprises two categories, Silat Olahraga (combat)
and Silat seni (artistic). The Festival is organised by the Tawau Community
College, with help from the Tawau Municipal Council and Sabah government," he
told Bernama here Thursday.

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman is expected to officiate the event
that would be held in Borneo for the first time, while the closing is expected
to be done by National Silat Federation (PESAKA) president Muhd Ali
Rustam.

Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third
largest town of east Malaysia Sabah state after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan