KUCHING: Construction is in progress at the Sarawak Sports Village, a major facility to help Sarawak realise its vision of becoming the nation’s sports powerhouse in 2024.
Work on the RM25 million project at the Petra Jaya Sports Complex had actually commenced in July last year and is expected to be completed by next April.
“The Sports Village is one of the facilities that was approved by the State government and, when completed is able to accommodate 500 people.
“There is a four-storey hostel, a single-storey multi-purpose hall and single-storey guardhouse, canteen/cafeteria for 500 people and meeting room for 100 people.
“Due to the Movement Control Order as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, works on the Sports Village was delayed for a few months,” Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee told The Borneo Post in an exclusive interview.
Proposed Sports Village.
According to Ong who is also Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) director, the Sports Village was initially projected at the cost of RM60 million.
“The Sports Village is designed and constructed after looking into all the hostel sports schools at Bukit Jalil, Bandar Penawar, Kota Kinabalu and in Thailand.
“The appropriate best and conducive aspects of the hostel is maintained after studying the above hostels.
“The Sports Village will complement the proposed Sports School that will be located nearby and the students can stay in the hostel there,” said Ong.
“It will also house the elite athletes who will continue to train after completing their form five or form six, and especially those who are overaged for Sukan Malaysia (Sukma).
“We want to have the centralised and decentralised training of our athletes here especially those from outstation,” he said.
“We are also thinking of putting the coaches there where they can also help to take care of their athletes. An experienced warden will also be appointed to manage the hostels.
“With the big multi purpose hall, we can also conduct seminars, conferences and courses as well as conduct tests on the athletes by the High Performance Unit,” added Ong.
Another advantage of having the Sports Village is that it can accommodate athletes and officials who come here to participate in local and international competitions.
Other facilities to be built soon in the Petra Jaya Sports Complex included the cricket and rugby ground next to the sports village, the wushu centre in between the Sarawak Shooting Range and the Sarawak Gymnasium and the High Performance Centre.