8th BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games to be held in Labuan

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Lee (second right) shakes hands with Nadzri (right) as other members of Labuan Development Board look on.

KUCHING: In a bid to bring further harmony to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia- Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga), the eighth BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games will be held at Labuan from Dec 6 to 10 this year.

Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin, representing Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan, announced this at a press conference in Mawan’s office at the State Legislative Assembly Building on Monday.

“The theme of the games is to develop a culture of peace, friendship and economy through sports. Hopefully, the games will also encourage its members to strengthen and further establish the organisation as a reckoning force to other countries and regions to deal with in the realms of sports, culture and even trade and commerce,” Lee said.

He added that 11 sports events were proposed to be held during the games – lawn bowling, basketball, ‘sepak takraw’, futsal, beach volleyball, ‘pencak silat seni’, archery, athletics, football, badminton and golf (for VIPs), with a total of 65 golds to be won.

“Swimming has not been finalised yet, but hopefully we can get it included,” Lee quipped.

He also shared the previous results from the 2012 games held in General Santos City, Philippines.

“Sarawak was in the second position in the overall medals
tally behind Sabah with eight gold, four silver and four bronze in athletics, two bronze in tennis, 10 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze in swimming, adding up to 18 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze,” Lee stated.

He also said the Sarawak contingent had not been finalised yet, but they were proposing to participate in at least seven sports out of the 11 proposed, namely athletics, pencak silat seni, archery, futsal, lawn bowling, sepak takraw and football.

Among those present at the press conference were Labuan Development Board chief executive officer Datuk Nadzri Ismail, deputy chief executive officer Rithuan Mohd Ismail, organising chairperson Mohd Khainul Mohd Yakop as well as Labuan Development Board deputy director Muhammad Syazli Rusli.