Sports Tourism: Jin Ju football club on 5-day visit to Kuching

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Daud (third right) and Nicholas (second right) posing with Jin Ju Football Club players and officials upon their arrival at KIA yesterday. — Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING: Minister of Works Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Assistant Youth and Sports Minister Snowdan Lawan, Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman and Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee are among the VIPs included in the SSC Invitational team which will take on the Jin Ju Football Club from Beijing this Friday.

SSC administrative officer Daud Aba said the China club will be fielding a few former internationals in the friendly match to be held at Stadium Negeri, Petra Jaya.

The Jin Ju entourage comprising 29 players and family members will be in Kuching until Sunday.

“With this game, SSC is able to strengthen ties between China and Sarawak through sports tourism in the state.

“In this aspect, the two parties will exchange views and ideas towards the development of football,” Daud told reporters at the Kuching International Airport yesterday afternoon.

He and colleagues from SSC were at the airport to welcome the Jin Ju entourage who flew in from Kuala Lumpur.

Jin Ju Football Club was set up in 1999 and has 50 players including youth, veteran and women players.

Meanwhile, Jin Ju agent Nicholas Yek said the match is very important to the Beijing club although it is only a friendly.

“The main objective is to strengthen the ties between China and Sarawak.

“They are not only here to score goals through football but in other aspects as well,” he added.

The Jin Ju team will be having their training at Stadium Negeri this afternoon from 5pm to 7pm

and they will be playing beach soccer at Damai Beach on Saturday as well as visiting places of tourist interest around Kuching.