Dr Ong Kong Swee
KUCHING: An international star-studded cast is on the cards for the three-star US$120,000 Victor Far East Malaysian Masters Badminton Championship, which Sarawak has been given the honour to host at the multi-purpose indoor stadium in Sibu from Jan 17-22.
Top ranking players from 20 countries are expected to make the date at the new 4,250 capacity indoor stadium which was completed for the Sukma XVIII (Malaysia Games) in July.
The Malaysian Masters – last held here at the Sarawak Indoor Stadium in Kuching nearly 10 years ago – will likely see Datuk Lee Chong Wei renewing his rivalry with Lin Dan or exacting a revenge on China’s Olympic champion Chen Long.
In the last Malaysian Masters held here, Lee got the upper hand in a thrilling final which kept the capacity crowds on the edge of their seats.
Sarawak Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee said the first organising committee meeting was held on Nov 17 at a local hotel which was chaired by permanent secretary to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Solidarity Kameri Affandi, with himself as the coordinator.
Also present at the meeting were Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) general manager Lawrence Chew, BAM event manager Teo Kim Thye and Sibu Deputy Resident Wong Hee Sieng.
Ong said Sarawak was proud to host the prestigious tournament endorsed by BAM and is part of the BWF Grand Prix Series.
The Sibu stadium can hold 12 courts although only four will be used during the tournament.
“This tournament which was last held here in Sarawak in 2007 is a three-star Grand Prix Series which will attract most of the top stars in the world including our Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan.
“We made the special request to BAM to host this prestigious tournament here at the expense of states like Penang and Sabah which also made a bid for the same tournament.
“It is expected to attract capacity crowds in Sibu as next year it will coincide with the “Visit Sibu Year” and the timing is also right as it will be near to the Chinese New Year where the Sibu people elsewhere will return to their hometown.
“We hold it in Sibu to promote the sport in the central zone and the stadium is the best in the country with a retractable seating gallery and also we want to make full use of our new facilities which was last used during the last Sukma,” said Ong.
He added that after the Malaysian Masters, the next international in the offing, will be an invitational event which is likely to be held at the same venue.