Karim (centre) with (from left) Hii, Ng, Ong and Subramaniam during the press conference.
KUCHING: In six months’ time, Kuching will be making history as the first city in ASEAN region and outside Europe to host the 9th World Paralympic Swimming Championship at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya.
“This is an important event for all of us in Sarawak especially for Kuching City because it is the first of its kind to be held outside Europe and the ASEAN region,” said Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
“The Sarawak government has welcomed the staging of the event here because it also coincides with our Visit Sarawak Campaign 2019 which was launched on New Year Eve,” he said in a press conference at Stadium Negeri yesterday.
With him were Paralympic Council of Malaysia deputy president John Ng Keng Chuan and vice president First Admiral Dato Subramanian Raman, permanent secretary to Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Hii Chang Kee and Sarawak Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee.
According to the minister, after the launching of the official website last year, the International Paralympic Council (IPC) had started online registration of potential participants from all over the world.
“To date, we have received positive responses from 15 countries, some of which China, USA, UK, Russia and Ukraine and they have even requested for 166 rooms for 294 personnel.
“These numbers are expected to increase as the closing date is June 24,” said Karim.
According to the Asajaya assemblyman, the countries are all eager to participate as this event will serve as a warm up for the Tokyo Paralympic Games in Japan from Aug 25 to Sept 6 next year.
He said the organisers – Sarawak government, Paralympic Council of Malaysia and World Para Swimming – are targeting the participation of 800 to 1,000 swimmers and 1,000 officials from 80 countries for the championship.
Karim, who is joint chairman of the Kuching 9th World Paralympic Swimming Championship organising committee with Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, said they have designed several sponsorship packages for the business community to be part and support the championship at various levels.
Their involvement will provide an excellent opportunity for a return of investment via brand exposure through a variety of mediums that includes media, print, signage, membership database, competition naming rights and much more.
“This event will be televised live worldwide especially to all the 80 countries expected to compete in the event which can be a conduit for local companies to increase their brand awareness and organisational image as well as to strengthen relationships with existing customers,” added Karim.
He said the influx of para swimmers who are accompanied by their team officials and families also provided an excellent opportunity for the exposure of Kuching in particular and Sarawak in general.
Meanwhile, Karim said Sarawak and Olympic Council of Malaysia will be sending representatives to attend the meeting in Bonn, Germany from Jan 24 to 25.
A total of 170 gold medals are on offer in the 9th World Paralympic Swimming Championship for the participants who have physical, visual and intellectual disabilities.