Sports Village, Sports School in the pipeline

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Warriors Hockey Club Miri players and officials posing with (from fourth left) Manyin, Mary, Shamala and Regina after the prize presentation.

Warriors Hockey Club Miri players and officials posing with (from fourth left) Manyin, Mary, Shamala and Regina after the prize presentation.

KUCHING: Minister of Youth, Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said Sarawak is hoping to have a Sports Village in the next two to three years.

“Sarawak needs a Sports Village which can accommodate between 400 to 500 people.

“We have submitted our request to the Ministry of Youth and Sports via the minister Khairy Jamaluddin,” said Manyin at the closing of the inaugural TNB Sarawak Hockey League at the Sarawak Hockey Stadium on Saturday.

“That will solve a lot of problems especially the accommodation for the athletes.

“We have the land and it is a matter of money. Once approved, we will start to build the Sports Village.

Manyin said the government’s next step is to set up a sports school such as the Bukit Jalil Sports School.

“We hope to have a sports school in Sarawak where the students are not only performing in sports but also in their studies.

“That will give confidence to the parents to send their children to that sports school,” he added.

According to Manyin, sports activities are religion-blind and race-blind and this can be the only kind of activities where we can actually promote solidarity, unity and cohesiveness among Sarawakians.

“Once we have that, Sarawak can be a role model for solidarity.”

Manyin said it is very costly to organise any event especially when it involves participants from Miri, Bintulu and all over Sarawak.

“We are very much dependent on sponsors so I would like to appeal to corporate bodies to come forward and help my ministry in promoting sports activities in Sarawak because we cannot afford to sponsor every sport event.

“My ministry will definitely always be all the time trying to support sports bodies with our dollars and cents we have and distribute them equally throughout the state,” he assured.

Hockey Association of Sarawak (HAS) president Datin Mary Sadiah Zainuddin said the TNB Sarawak Hockey League was a great success.

“W have 370 participants from 17 teams taking part in one of the biggest hockey tournaments in Sarawak.”

She thanked Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Dr Shamala Subramaniam for attending the opening and closing of the hockey meet.

“This the testimonial of MHC’s commitment to assist HAS to develop and raise the standard of hockey in Sarawak.

“We look forward to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Solidarity for the funding to develop hockey in the state.”

“It is an issue that organising such competition involves huge costs as such providing transport and accommodation for the players and officials,” added Mary.

She said HAS is committed towards developing hockey and producing high calibre players to represent the country.

Meanwhile Warriors Hockey Club of Miri tamed Tasik Biru 8-3 to win the Men’s Open while IPG Batu Lintang finished third.

The Women’s Open was won by Luctor Emergo who edged Project Park All Divisions 3-2 in a penalty shoot out after they were tied 3-3 in full time.

Third in the league competition were Reunite Hockey Club.

The Boys U17 title was won by SMK Penrissen who defeated SMK Paku 5-1 in the finals.

The third place was also decided on a penalty shoot out as Sakura pipped SMK Bako 3-2 after both teams were tied 1-1 at full time.

Also present were deputy president of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation Dr Shamala Subramaniam and HAS deputy president Claudia Regina Janting who is also the event organising chairperson.