KUCHING: The Sarawak government should build the new squash centre as soon as possible in preparation for the hosting of Sukma XIX in 2016.
Squash Racquets Association of Sarawak (SRAS) president Robert Lau Hui Yew views this as a very important matter because the state will be hosting the national games in two years’ time.
“I understand that the state government has yet to decide on the venue for the new squash centre,” he said.
“This is quite worrying as the period between now and 2016 is a short one and we should be getting our facilities ready for the Games,” he pointed out.
Lau, also Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia, Sarawak branch chairman, said the state government had previously agreed to build the squash centre at Petra Jaya but the location has been changed.
“I haven’t been informed about the new location for the centre but I do hope that it can be built as soon as possible,” he added.
Apart from becoming the venue for the squash competition in Sukma 2016, the centre can also be used to train the state players.
“We would also be able to host national and international squash competitions at the new squash centre,” said Lau.
With the new centre, Lau said SRAS would be able to carry out its development programme intensively and aggressively.
“All this while, we have been renting squash courts at private clubs such as the Sarawak Club and Sarawak Golf Club to train our players and organise competitions at school and state level,” he said.
He said the present courts are not suitable for training or competitions because they are too small and limited.
“We have produced many squash players like Azlan Iskandar and Sanjay Singh Chal who have carved a name for themselves at international competitions,” said Lau.
As such, he hoped that the government can approve the construction of the new squash centre so that Sarawak can maintain its supremacy as a squash powerhouse in the country.