Dr Ong (centre) and head of coaching panel Dr Balbir Singh Gill (right) at the meeting.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Judo Association and the Table Tennis Association of Sarawak have been directed to prepare their athletes as judo and table tennis are among the optional sports that may be included in the next Sukma in Perak in 2018.
This directive came from Sarawak Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee who chaired a meeting with representatives from some 20 state sports associations at the conference room of Stadium Negeri on Tuesday.
Other optional sports include golf, rugby, petanque, netball, muaythai, silambam, woodball, boxing and lawn bowls. The meeting was aimed to brief the sports associations on plans to make Sarawak a sports powerhouse and get feedback on preparations for Sukma XIX.
Among the main topics is to set up Sarawak Sports Science Module which is the first among the states in Malaysia.
Ong, also director of the Sarawak State Sorts Council, advised the sports associations to find their talents and start preparations early as the 19th Sukma is only one year and five months away.