Balloon feast in Malaysia

Hot-air balloons, including one shaped like the head of the character Darth Vader from the Star Wars films, flew over Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya on the second day of the Putrajaya, yesterday, International hot- air balloon fiesta. The festival will end on Sunaday.

Twenty-two hot-air balloons are taking part in this annual event from countries such as France, the Netherlands, US, Belgium, Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.

The event will is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators throughout the four-day event.

The main objective of the festival, which is a mecca for photographers, is to create a multi racial/cultural event that promotes unity and would also, inevitably increase the local economy and bring Malaysia at par with other well renowned balloon destinations such as Albuquerque in the US, Bristol in England and Saga in Japan.

Saga, a small farming village in Japan, had attracted over a million tourists to witness their yearly hot-air balloon fiesta.