BATU KAWAN: Boria Kombinasi Kampung Melayu emerged as the champion of the Yaribba! Boria Studio Tonton Drama Sangat competition at the 2024 Penang Jom Heboh Carnival (KJH).
The team took home RM2,000 in prize money.
Second place went to Boria Gema Permata, who won RM1,500, while Boria Madnorian finished third and received RM500.
Event manager Shah Sulaiman said the competition featured a total of 70 boria performers from Penang.
He said this was the second time the competition was held at KJH Penang, after last year.
"After the information about the competition was shared on TV3's social media, we received around 10 entries from boria players over the past two weeks.
"The preliminary rounds were conducted through videos submitted to the organisers and three selected groups competed today," he said when met at the Tonton Drama Sangat booth.
Shah said the winner was selected based on the evaluations of experienced judges, namely the Boria Academy director Datuk Jibran Khalil and the founder of the Kumpulan Kasturi Zamvery Ahmad, who is also a composer.
He said the boria competition would be made a 'mandatory' event at KJH Penang.
"The same goes for other states involved in the KJH tour, where we will highlight the arts and culture of the place. We hope to receive more entries in the future to make this competition even more vibrant," he added.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the booth was lively with activities for visitors, including families.
A visitor from Kulim, Kedah, Seri Dewi Asnita Abdul Jalil, 38, said it was the first time her daughter, Ria Riana Azlan, 11, watched a boria competition.
"I'm excited to see the dance movements of the boria players, as well as their colorful costumes, while the lyrics were filled with advice and current issues.
"It's interesting and this is the second booth we've visited for about half an hour, in addition to the Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian," she said.
KJH Penang, now on its second day, saw more visitors come to meet their favorite celebrities from the ABPBH 2024 tour, as well as to purchase merchandise at reasonable prices.