Dato Wee Hong Seng
KUCHING: The Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) and Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) have placed high expectations on Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas) to host the sport in Sukma XIX next year and deliver medals.
“Asas will need to structure a framework urgently to ensure that respective issues are being effectively addressed in term of hosting the swimming events,” said Asas president Dato Wee Hong Seng who attended a recent meeting with the two bodies.
“Sukma XIX will be held from July 22-31 and with the host job in mind, Asas has already identified a meet manager whose role is a one-stop centre for SSC, MSNS, Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) and in due course, the coordinator of all the state affiliates.
The meet manager will be entrusted with finding out whether the new aquatic centre at the Sarawak Stadium Complex in Petra Jaya is fit for hosting the diving and swimming competitions. The new aquatic centre is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year.
The new facilities will require certification by Asum which in turn will also need to fulfill FINA 2013 Rules and Regulations.
Wee said Asas will be venturing into new territory hosting swimming and diving competitions in 2016 as the last time Sarawak hosted Sukma was in 1990.
“Swimming has advanced by leap and bounds over the years with all the new rules, regulations and electronic gadgets needing to be incorporated.
“This has extended the need for us to identify what are the hardware, software and furnishings that are being provided at the new aquatic centre at Petra Jaya,” said Wee.
Compatible software and equipment will have to be purchased to effectively run the meet.
Wee added that during the meeting the permanent secretary to the Social Development Ministry Affandi Keli had highlighted that 80 per cent of the technical officials for running the meet will be local.
“We are now working with Asum on the technical official support and nevertheless we have also structured the format for a team of about 80 personnel from various parts of Sarawak to be trained and certified as competent officials to host the Sukma XIX aquatic event,” he said.
“For the above mentioned equipment furnishing and training of technical officials, Asas had already submitted a preliminary budget proposal which had been tentatively approved by the Sarawak State Cabinet.”
Meanwhile, preparations for Sarawak swimmers in the pool have been going on smoothly. They are training at their respective elite centres in Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu and Miri.
“It has been an on-going programme since the launching of the Sukma 2014/2016 project way back in March 2013,” disclosed Wee.
The head coach is Hii Hieng Chiong from Sibu.
“We have also been informed by Affandi to establish all the swimmers for Sukma XIX for training by this March and subsequently narrow them down to Sukma 2016 shadow squad by Sept,” he said.
According to Wee, Asas has been set with a lofty target of winning 10 gold medals for swimming in 2016 by SSC and MSNS.
He reckoned that this is not ‘mission impossible’ if all the state swimmers are able to undergo the regimented and committed training programmes and with the full support from SSC and MSNS on equipment, facilities, exposure training and meets.
“We hope to contribute to the success of Sarawak’s aim to be the overall champions come Sukma XIX.”