TUARAN: The regional selection rounds to determine the finalists of the Sugandoi Kaamatan singing competition in Tuaran are set to take place this Sunday at the Dewan Tun Hamdan in Tamparuli, Sabah Media reported.
Tamparuli Assistant District Officer and organising committee chairman Herman Tunggiging said that like previous years, the competition will feature three categories: Terbuka (Open), Dazanak (children), and Songkotoun (seniors).
"We have convened several meetings over the past few weeks to finalise the Sugandoi Kaamatan Tuaran District Committee for 2024 and to discuss the latest updates and improvements issued by the State Sugandoi Committee," Herman said.
So far, the Terbuka category has seen 30 participants register, with three entrants for Dazanak and one for Songkotoun since the competition was announced a few weeks ago. Herman noted the low registration numbers in the Songkotoun category, suggesting that veteran singers might be waiting until the last minute to sign up.
The district of Tuaran has a prestigious history in the competition, producing state-level champions such as Rozza Rothman (1995), Apprilissa Sue Ann (2015), Jacinda Faye (2016), and Jesse Amanda in the Dazanak category (2022).
Herman highlighted that participants must meet specific criteria, including being Malaysian citizens of Kadazandusun descent or having at least one parent or grandparent of Kadazandusun origin. Previous winners of the state-level Sugandoi Dazanak, Sugandoi Terbuka, or Sugandoi Songkotoun are not eligible to compete again.
The Sugandoi Terbuka category is open to participants aged 17 and above, Songkotoun for those 60 and older, and Dazanak for children 12 and under. The prizes range from cash awards for the winners and runners-up in all categories, including special awards for the best performance.
Registration fees are RM30 for the Sugandoi Terbuka and Dazanak categories, and RM20 for Songkotoun. For further details and registration, interested parties can contact the organisers or register online or in person at the community hall on April 21 from 10am.
This year's host for the State-level Kaamatan Festival is the district of Ranau, themed "Kaamatan, Beyond Food Security."