A resplendent dance performance during today’s opening ceremony at Stadium Perpaduan.
KUCHING: It was an exciting afternoon for 1,407 athletes from 15 contingents competing in the 18th Malaysian Paralympic Games 2016 as they walked into Stadium Perpaduan, Petra Jaya during the opening ceremony of the games today (Aug 6).
Besides the marching of contingents, the opening ceremony also saw a cultural dance performance by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak (MTAC) themed ‘Unity in Diversity’ which also included students of SMK Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Gapor, UiTM Kota Samarahan, and JKKN Sarawak.
A total of nine sports are being included in this year’s games including tenpin bowling, archery, badminton, lawn bowl, chess, ping pong, powerlifting, aquatics and athletics.
Fatimah during her speech at the opening ceremony.
“These games are a manifestation of all of our concerns, including the government, towards the needs of all levels of society in Malaysia,” said Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Datuk Fatimah Abdullah who arrived at 3.24pm with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Dougles Uggah Embas for the opening ceremony.
“It provides a platform and opportunities for people with disabilities (PWDs) to prove their potential, capability and excellence in sports.”
Fatimah emphasised that the paralympic games was a multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities classified into five categories – visually impaired (VI), intellectual impairment (IF), cerebral palsy (CP), ambulant and Les Autres (others/PI), and wheelchair (PI).
“It takes more than an exceptional sportsman or sportswoman to become a participant of a paralympic event. It is not just about their disabilities and skills to compete with or against their fellow athletes.
“More importantly it is about passion, grit, resolve, determination, self-discipline, perseverance, sportsmanship, comradeship and self-worth not only during the competition proper, but equally important throughout the training and preparation for the meet,” she added.
The Sarawak team during the march of the contingents.
She pointed out that as such, the paralympic games must be acknowledged accordingly as one which really tests one’s physical, emotional and spiritual strength.
“The paralympiad athletes’ drive and motivation to overcome both physical and mental barriers in order to achieve their goals, their self belief and confidence to overcome adversities and face difficulties, their humility and respect towards all those around them in the spirit of fair play, and their readiness to be motivated by the achievements and actions of others and their aspiration to become positive examples to others, are indeed values which we all must acknowledge, respect and honor,” she said.
After the speech, Fatimah accompanied Uggah to press the launching button to symbolise the opening ceremony.
Nine members of the Royal Malay Regiment carried the games flag to be raised, accompanied by the games theme song.
Carrying the games flag to be raised.
The athletes then made their pledges of sportsmanship before D’Semesta dance troupe of SMK Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Gapor performed the ‘Lambaian Dari Timur’ dance performance to close the ceremony.
In the true spirit of the games, sign-language interpreter Ursula Stephen translated.
Also attending the ceremony were former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, and Paralympic Council of Malaysia president SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.
Uggah (second right) talking to former prime minister Abdullah as they arrive at the stadium.
Lighting up the games torch.