Suksa back after a 27-year hiatus

February 24, 2017

Karim (front row, centre) with the event committee in a photocall after the press conference yesterday.

KUCHING: The state Games or ‘Sukan Sarawak’ (Suksa) will return this year after a 27-year hiatus, the last one being held back in 1990.

According to Suksa 2017 chairman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Sarawak Games will be the best venue as a prelude to unearth talent for the national Games or ‘Sukan Malaysia’ (Sukma) in 2018.

“The last time Suksa was held, we (Sarawak) were the (Sukma) champions and I believe Suksa will be the platform to showcase the capabilities of our talents,” said Karim.

He was speaking at the first Suksa committee meeting at Stadium Negeri on Thursday.

Karim said the tentative date for Suksa is from Dec 14-17, but it is subject to state cabinet approval first.

“The venue will be in Kuching and we will have a sports village where all athletes will be staying. In terms of athlete selection, it will be done by the technical committee from each divison and we will get into that soon.

Karim elaborated that Sarawak is committed in its effort to be a sports powerhouse, and is looking at winning the Sukma 2018 (in Perak).

Elaborating on Suksa, Karim said the games will see four regions, North (Limbang, Miri and Bintulu), Central (Kapit, Sibu and Mukah), East (Sarikei, Betong and Sri Aman) and South (Kuching, Samarahan and Serian) with sub divisions.

“Among the tentative sports to be contested are swimming, weightlifting, cycling, netball, golf, archery, track and field, silat, rugby, takraw and taekwondo,”

“However this is not the finalised list as we will have all the final details in about a month time,” he said.

Karim later said there will also be categories for the disabled, which will be held simultaneously.

“Among the (disabled) sports are swimming, weightlifting, archery and track and field,” he said.

Also present at the meeting yesterday was Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee. -The Borneo Post