The winners pose with Eugene Lai (left) and other SESA officials.
KUCHING: SMK Batu Lintang Kuching recorded another historic moment yesterday when it became the first secondary school in Sarawak that the Sarawak Esports Association (SESA) activated its High School Esports Club (HSEC) programme.
SESA deputy president Eugene Lai, who officiated the activation with the school principal Bahtiar Afandi and Parents Teachers Association president Lee Kiat Ming, said the association was privileged by the school’s invitation to roll out its first HSEC programme.
“Esports has gained popularity and high demand in Malaysia recently with the introduction of five gold medals in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines this year.
“Our Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has also announced that esports will be included in Sukma Johor next year while the Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah also announced that esports will also be included in the Sarawak Games (Suksar) for the very first time this year,” he said.
A competition in progress as students gather around the gamers.
He said SESA’s objective in rolling the HSEC was to provide a platform for high school esports enthusiasts, giving the association the opportunity to seek young talented esports athletes in a competitive environment, and also preparing the young esports athletes to compete in Sukma and Suksar in the very near future.
“HSEC is planned and introduced with the integration of healthy gaming habits into the students’ lifestyle.
“Students will be taught not only game play strategies but also proper gaming time management, correct sitting posture, healthy diet, mental preparation to be competitive in the esports arena,” added Lai who urged all young esports enthusiasts to check and balance their well-being, not only engaging in esports activities but also excel in their studies and not forgetting to participate in physical sports.
Bahtiar said it was an honour for the school to be chosen.
“We see this as a very good opportunity for us to work closely with SESA to help the students to be more mindful of their career and also to see the future of digitalisation in our society,” he said of the HSEC programme which was held in conjunction with SMK Batu Lintang Open Day.
Meanwhile, in the exhibition tournament held at the school hall, Tryio Gaming emerged as the champion while Thomas Esports Club and Zeus Reborn were second and third respectively.
The response to the tournament was overwhelming.
Actually 44 teams registered but the competition was limited to 32 teams comprising 160 gamers.