Adenan (centre) addresses the press conference as (from right) Abdul Karim, Morshidi, Manyin and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian look on at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
KUCHING: Special incentives await the Sarawak contingent if they emerge overall champions in the upcoming Malaysian Games, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who announced this yesterday, hinting that the incentives will be “generous” if Sarawak can regain the Sukma title last won in 1994.
“Yes, definitely there will be incentives. We take it one at a time… There will be quite generous incentives,” he told a press conference after the state cabinet was briefed on the 2016 Sukma preparations at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
Sarawak is hosting this year’s Sukma XVIII. The opening ceremony will be held at Sarawak Stadium in Petra Jaya on July 23 (next Saturday).
The last time Sarawak emerged champion of the Games was in 1994, four years after first winning it in 1990 which was hosted in the state.
Adenan said he was quite confident the champion’s title can be won this time, as Sarawak’s athletes are well prepared and have trained hard to achieve this target.
“We expect to do quite well this time around, hoping for glory days of old when the late Datuk Taha Arrifin led the contingent. Our boys and girls are now in fighting spirit and we expect to win as many gold medals as we can. Of course, no contingent can get all the gold offered but we expect to get the biggest number of gold in the Games,” he said.
“I am quite confident, looking at the faces and enthusiasm (of the athletes and officials), that we can achieve it. We expect 72 gold medals but that is a conservative figure,” he added. Among the sport events where Sarawak are expected to have a lion’s share of gold medals are aquatic sports, golf, tenpin bowling, wushu, taekwondo and tennis.
Based on previous news reports, the state government through the Sarawak Sports Council (MSNS) is currently offering incentives of RM5,000 for the first gold medal, RM7,000 for second gold and the same amount for subsequent gold medals.
Adenan also said he was quite satisfied with all the preparation for Sarawak to host Sukma, which saw “a few hundred millions” of ringgit spent on building new facilities and upgrading existing ones as venues for the 24 sports events.
“We’re all set for Sukma now, after a preparation for two years. Now the Games can begin before the end of this month,” Adenan said.
Among those present at yesterday’s briefing were Minister of Youth and Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who is also the Sarawak contingent chef-de-mission and State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Abdul Ghani who is Sukma XVIII organising chairman.
Sukma XVIII proper is held from July 22 to 31, although a few events will start earlier. Nineteen sports events are hosted in Kuching and Samarahan, besides three in Miri and two in Sibu.
It has been reported that Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will officiate the opening ceremony on July 23, while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will officiate at the closing ceremony on July 31.
Meanwhile, Morshidi said as practised in previous Sukma tournaments, there will be an independent doping committee for this year’s Sukma.
Abdul Karim, in his brief remarks on behalf of Sarawak contingent, said Sarawak’s source of medals is expected to be widespread, and not just coming from several sports.