Giving caution to sports associations which failed to perform in recent 21st Malaysia Games (SukmXXI)

As we move on after the recent success of 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI), I have also issued a stern warning to sports associations which had failed to obtain any medals or improve their performance during the recent games. 

I have mentioned this our media friends who had seek my comments on post-Sukma XXI and although Sarawak has emerged as the overall champion, a post mortem will still be done immediately to improve our local sports fraternity. 

Obviously at this year’s Sukma, there were sports bodies that did not reach the desired targets. I have further explained that for every Sukma, every sporting bodies will set targets with some showing excellent performance and some also failing to get any medals. 

Those who had delivered outstanding results include diving which had earlier set a target of three gold medals but had bagged 9 gold medals instead. Those who failed include our local cycling association where they haven’t delivered any gold medals and sadly it had been years for that to happen.

At least karate had created history by delivering a gold medal while in sailing we won two gold medals. There are still sports bodies that have failed to win medals until now. Such associations like these sometimes I feel cannot be managed like this anymore and it is time for some people to leave.

Looking forward to hosting opening ceremony of 2027 SEA Games

Once again our government had expressed the willingness for Sarawak to become official venue for opening ceremony of the 2027 Southeast Asia (SEA) Games after getting the green light from Federal Government to be co-host of the event.

I have mentioned to our media friends that this had been requested by Sarawak's Premier, His Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg because to us, this is very important. The closing ceremony can be in Kuala Lumpur or another venue to be decided by the Federal's Ministry of Youth and Sports but the opening ceremony must be in Kuching.

For the record, since the Prime Minister has agreed for Sarawak to be the co-host, we can safely say the opening ceremony will be in Kuching, even though the dates have not been decided.

Our Right Honourable Primer Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on August 24 had mentioned that Sarawak was ready to play a part in the 2027 SEA Games based on its successful hosting of the 21st edition of Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI).

The prime minister was quoted during the Sukma's closing ceremony that given Sarawak’s proven ability to host major sporting events, on behalf of the Malaysian government, he had agreed for us to co-host the 2027 SEA Games.

We are also having ongoing discussions with our counterparts from Federal's Ministry of Youth and Sports on co-hosting the SEA Games and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) had also been asked to choose which sports would be held in Sarawak.

There are going to be 36 sports of which 18 will be in Sarawak but that is not final yet. We have to pinpoint the sports we want based on the facilities that are available here. This the first time Malaysia to be hosting the SEA Games outside Kuala Lumpur.

Other Southeast Asian countries had hosted previous games outside the nation's capital which include Palembang, Indonesia, in 2011 while the 2025 edition will be hosted by Chiang Mai in Thailand.

We look forward to such arrangements because of the positive impacts since it is spread out with the economic spin-offs for our folks who will also have the opportunity to watch the exciting matches in progress.

A total of 214 nominations for this year's Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards (SHTA)

We are delighted with the good response for this year's Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards (SHTA) which have been organised to honour outstanding contributors to Sarawak's tourism industry.

For this year's awards, we have received a total of 241 nominations across 8 main categories and 27 sub-categories. The good response received can be viewed as a testament to the resilience of Sarawak's tourism sector.

The awards were last held in 2018, before the Covid-19 pandemic and now things are back to normal. We shall celebrate achievements in sectors such as hospitality, ecotourism, and cultural preservation and served as a platform for innovation and excellence in tourism.

There are 72 finalists who had been selected to compete for the top honours, which will be presented by Premier of Sarawak, the right honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg at the presentation ceremony to be held on September 27.

This time round there are two special awards which would be presented namely the Special Recognition Award for Contributions during Covid-19 and the Special Hornbill Award for Responsible Tourism.

Our guest of honour will also present the Special Hornbill Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual who has made significant contributions to Sarawak's tourism industry.

Windfall for our athletes who had done Sarawak proud in 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI)

Our government had agreed for the pay out of incentives to Sarawak's contingent medal winners at the recent 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI) to be held on September 14. 

I have disclosed the good news and the incentives to be presented in an appreciation presentation ceremony in Kuching and our Premier of Sarawak, the Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg had wanted it to be held as soon as possible. 

Due to his (Premier) hectic schedule, the presentation ceremony will only be held on September 14 and I have instructed for the necessary preparations to be made. Previously, our premier had announced that any gold medal winner will receive an incentive of RM15,000, silver medalist RM5,000 and bronze medalist RM3,000.

However, our government will increase the incentives because there are gold medals won by teams consisting of 12 athletes who may only get hundreds of ringgit if they win a silver medal. 

As such, the awarding of incentives will be based on the 3:2:1 formula, which means that team gold winners cannot receive less than RM3,000 per person, silver medalists no less than RM2,000 and bronze winners no less than RM1,000 per person. 

For example the silver winner of the team event who gets RM5,000 and there are 12 athletes. After dividing these athletes may only receive hundreds of ringgit each, then the state government will increase so that each person receives RM2,000. For the gold winners of doubles event, the calculation is easy with each athlete will get RM7,500 and as such, the government does not need to top up anymore.

Thanking everyone for the successful staging of 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI) and bagging the overall champion title

Syukur alhamdullilah. We have proven to host one of the best Malaysia Games (Sukma) ever and this was achieved at the 21st edition hosted by Sarawak. Together we have focused on setting a benchmark as the best organiser and this time round, we also captured the overall title which had ended a 30-year wait.

Sarawak achieve success after failing to do so when hosting the games in 2016. With the preparations of the athletes and the venue had gone according to plan, Sarawak had seized the opportunity to emerge as the overall champion. 

From the start, the high level of preparation by our athletes and respective sports associations are of high level simply because we aim to be the overall champion. 

In terms of preparation, equipments, and so on, many of Sarawak's athletes are currently abroad with some have yet to return home for six months while others have trained in neighbouring countries like Thailand and Indonesia. 

I take this opportunity to congratulate all of our athletes and their sports association for having delivered the winning gold medals as well as the silver and bronze medals. I also extend heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to those who are directly and indirectly involved in the organising of this year's games. 

Colourful ending for the 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI)

The curtain had come down on the 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI) after days of suspense and intense competition among our young athletes, Sarawak had emerged victorious with a total of 76 gold medals, 55 silver and 70 bronze.

The closing ceremony of the biennial games is being held on a modest scale at Stadium Perpaduan Negeri Sarawak in Petra Jaya and the right honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is present to grace the function. 

Among local dignitaries who are also present include our right honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg and Federal Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Hannah Yeoh.

Apart from the contingents' march pass and colourful cultural shows, the highlights of the closing ceremony include the coronation of the Sukma's 2024 Sportsman and Sportswoman awards recipients as well as the games' overall champion.

This year's Sukma had featured 37 sports which comprised of 488 events and involving 236 men's events, 271 women's events and 35 mixed-gender events, bringing together over 12,000 athletes and officials.

This is the third time for Sarawak to become Sukma's host with the first back in 1990 and previously in 2016.

Kudos to Sarawak's strongman, Jonah Chang Rigan who bagged 3 gold medals in 21st Malaysia Games (SukmaXXI)

Sarawak strongman Jonah Chang Rigan had done us proud after achieving his 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) target of bagging three gold medals when he triumphed in the men’s hammer throw finals with a distance of 54.65 metres at Sarawak Stadium, Petra Jaya.

Jonah had previously won gold in both the men’s discus throw and shot put events, including a new Games record for the latter of 17.66 metres. 

The 21-year-old athlete was in a class of his own after he set a new Sukma record in the men’s shot put despite an injury during the men's final held on August 19. 

Jonah’s mark of 17.66m in the second attempt saw him clinch the gold medal and smash the 14-year-old Games record of 17.31m set by Terengganu’s Adi Aliffudin Husin during the 2010 Games in Melaka. 

Well known to be jovial, Jonah had disclosed plans to head home to Sarikei for a break after Sukma XXI before returning to competition. According to him, the journey of earning three gold medals for Sarawak contingent was tough but worth it because he had to train for two hours daily. 

However, he looks forward to the next competitions which will be the Cahya Mata Sarawak Super Series 2024 which start in Perlis and the Super Series final in Sarawak on October 25 to 27 at Sarawak Stadium, Petra Jaya in Kuching.

Courtesy visit to our Head of State, His Excellency Tun Pehin Sri Dr Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

 It was a pleasure for us to have met our Head of State, His Excellency Tun Pehin Sri Dr Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the Astana Negeri Sarawak in Petra Jaya, Kuching this morning. I was leading the delegation from the Secretariat of Malaysia Games (SUKMA) with the intention of inviting our Head of State and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi to grace the official opening ceremony of the 21st SUKMA at Sarawak Stadium in Petra Jaya on 17 August 2024.

Also present during the courtesy visit were Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, our Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (MYSED) together with Datu Hii Chang Kee, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SUKMA Secretariat and Morshidi Fredrik, the Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak.

Giving our thumbs up to the International Conference on Responsible Tourism & Hospitality (ICRTH2024)

My thanks to the organisers of this year’s International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH 2024) for having invited me to grace the opening ceremony at the Theatre hotel in Kuching and to deliver the keynote address. Kudos to the organisers for having ICRTH’s 2024 theme which is “Tourism and Peace: Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development”.

I have pointed out to the participants that the tourism sector has the potential to contribute to peace is significant, requiring thorough exploration and integration into broader societal transformations. It has the vital role as a catalyst for fostering peace and understanding between nations and cultures. Serving as an important driver to our nation’s economic growth, it is also a good avenue for interactions that can strengthen the foundations of peace, including social justice, human rights, economic equality, and sustainable development.

Sarawak’s commitment to responsible tourism is reflected in its Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS2030) led by our Right Honourable Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg. The strategy is aiming to transform Sarawak into a leading eco-tourism and business event destination with the empowered communities through responsible actions.

During my speech, I was delighted to annouce that one of the most recent achievements in Sarawak’s tourism landscape is the inscription of Niah Cave complex in Miri as the latest in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage sites list.

This recognition underscores the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage and its commitment to preserving these treasures for future generations. Such recognition also highlights Sarawak’s dedication to responsible tourism, which fosters peace and understanding by showcasing our shared human history. Our new tourism product will not only attract more visitors to Sarawak which is good for our economy, it will accelerate the implementation of our strategy to conserve our environment, preserve our cultural heritage and build an inclusive society with mutual appreciation.

Calling to preserve the old nurses' quarters building located at Jalan Crookshank in Kuching

We support the call for the old nurses' quarters located at Jalan Crookshank in Kuching to be preserved if possible rather than demolished for the proposed flood mitigation project there.

Local folks had voiced their concern on this matter because the quarters is a historical building with sentimental value to those who previously lived or worked there. But the building was slated to be replaced by a water retention pond to aid flood mitigation in the area, particularly for the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) located opposite it.

I have mentioned to our media friends during a recent press conference that it quite unfortunate for such thing to happen because the historical building is going to be demolished. If the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had proposed a mitigation pond to solve the flooding problem, why was that site chosen?" 

Thus, I have urged the DID to pause the demolition and seek an alternative solution. If it is possible to save the building…then we should do so. If demolishing it is the only way to resolve flooding at SGH, then go ahead with it and I will back it. But if there are options to resolve this problem, go for the alternative because we want to preserve old buildings. 

Sadly it also noted that the department did not consult his ministry about the building's potential heritage value but instead contacted the Museum Department. I was made to understand that it was the previous museum director who had stated the building does not have heritage value…I was shocked when I saw the memo.

Kudos to the Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) for having called for Sarawak’s government's intervention to save the nurses' quarters as a heritage building. The society had also launched a public petition to save the quarters from demolition, which has received nearly 1,000 signatures recently.

On August 4, our Right Honourable Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the state government would consider SHS' request to preserve the building. We will look into this matter because I do not know the heritage value of the nurses' quarters, whether it is like the General Post Office or Central Police Station which have been declared as heritage sites.

Apart from serving as a living testimony of medical development in Sarawak, the facility is also a historical monument on the pioneering nursing profession locally and perhaps in our country.

Great interview session with Astro Arena on 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA XXI)

We had a great interview session with our media friends from Astro Arena and Unit Komunikasi Awam Sarawak (UKAS) at our office recently. The interview was on the forthcoming 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA XXI) and matters related to the event which is the largest to be held in Malaysia.

I had also shared a few interesting aspects on the games including the fact that it features the largest number of sports and games. The venues for the various sporting events and matches are also located in nine different divisions in Sarawak. 

The targeted medal tally for Sarawak contingent is also revealed and apparently a few other state contingents are eyeing similar target which will make this SUKMA an interesting event keenly contested by the participating athletes. 

Site visit to Sarawak Stadium in Petra Jaya, Kuching

I took time to visit the Sarawak Stadium in Petra Jaya, Kuching recently and was delighted with the preparation works which are almost completed in time for the 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMAXXI) which is on 17 to 24 August.

Taking our hats off to those who directly and indirectly contributed to the speedy completion of the preparations of the stadium which will be the venue for the official opening ceremony. We look forward to the good weather to continue until the week-long games end.

I was also informed there are athletes from other state contingents who had already arrived in Kuching. We welcome them and hope they have good training session in the respective venues for SUKMA XXI.

Looking forward to "Trans Nusantara 2024" 4x4 expedition which starts in Kuching on August 9

We are delighted to have Kuching as one of the stopovers destinations of the forthcoming "Trans Nusantara 2024" off road adventure event which will be held in August until September 2024.

The expedition will involve 20 4x4 vehicles and will flag off in Kuching on August 9 and will cover destinations in West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and the capital city of Indonesia in Nusantara, Sulawesi, Flores, Sumbawa, Lombok, Bali, Jawa, Jakarta.

The convoy will complete their journey in Kuching and the 40-day long event is a collaboration between Borneo Overland Expeditions and Indonesia 4x4 Overland group.

My appreciation to the organisers for having invited me to grace the flag off ceremony at Kuching Waterfront and we look forward to seeing all the participants soon. Recently I was also invited to chair the coordination meeting which involved Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) as well as related local and Federal Government departments and agencies.

Urging the public not to use the official mascots and logo of Malaysia Games (SUKMA) Sarawak 2024 for commercial and profit purposes.

We have urged members of the public not to use the official mascots and logo of the forthcoming Malaysia Games (SUKMA) Sarawak 2024 for commercial and profit purposes. 

I have mentioned these to our media friends recently and just like other international sporting events, the organiser of SUKMA has the rights over its logo and other trademarks. 

It must not be reproduced or plagiarised unless prior permission has been given. This is because SUKMA’s logo, mascots and related items had been registered under Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332). Therefore, we hope members of the public will not plagiarise or make their own merchandise items and to make profits from it...if they wish to do so, they will have to seek prior permission from us.

I have also clarified that media agencies are allowed to use the Sukma Sarawak 2024 logo and mascots in their news reports and coverage on the forthcoming events to be held on 17 to 24 August. The warning of copyright infringement only applies to those intending to make merchandise such as mugs, t-shirts, etc, using the Sukma logo. 

For the media fraternity, it is a different story where we would love for them to provide exposure and publicity on SUKMA...it is not to tie them down. I believe the media are using the logo and mascots not to promote the merchandise but more on providing news coverage.

Our media friends had on July 30 received a press release issued by Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) that highlighted  legal actions against the unauthorised reproduction and use of the SUKMA Sarawak 2024 logo and mascots.