KUCHING: Sarawak Wushu Federation’s (WFS) long wait for a proper training and competition
Karim (Left) and Snowdan display an artist’s impressions of the proposed Wushu Training and Competition Centre.
01centre is finally over.
The Sarawak Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports will be building the Wushu Training & Competition Centre at the Sarawak Sports Complex in Petra Jaya starting next year.
Located on the 3-plus acres of land in between the Sarawak Gymnastics Stadium and the Sarawak Shooting Range, the RM13.2 million project will commence on March 15, 2021 and is expected to be completed in May 2022.
“This is the latest addition to the sports facilities in the state and wushu deserves it because it has been very productive and contributed so much to the state at Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) and international competitions.
“Wushu has also brought a good name to Sarawak and the country because they have produced so many good athletes such as Loh Jack Chang, Diana Bong Siong Lin, Pui Fook Chien, Choo Yee Wee, Kimberly Goh, Thian Ai Ling, Wee Jun Jie, Bong Teck Fu, Audrey Chan Yee Joo, Clement Ting Su Wei and Lee Hui Xian,” said Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Through the years, wushu has never failed to excel at Sukma and produce good medal returns. All in all, Sarawak captured 49 gold medals from 2000 to 2018.
“In Sukma Penang in 2000, Sarawak were the overall champions with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
“They were also overall champions in Sabah (2002), Negeri Sembilan (2004), Terengganu (2008), Pahang (2012), Perlis (2014).
“Sarawak finished second overall in Sarawak (2016), Perak (2018) and third in Kedah (2006) and Malacca (2010),” Karim said in a press conference yesterday.
Based on the good results, Karim felt that it is only very fair that wushu be given a centre to train its athletes and also to host local, national and international competitions.
He had visited the Elite Training Centre at Kota Sentosa Sports Centre along Jalan Stakan and felt that it was not a very conducive environment for the training of athletes.
Karim also commended the WFS for having a good development programme that has produced so many athletes of calibre.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak government will continue to pursue the proposal of converting the SMK Demak Baru into a fully-fledged Sarawak Sports School with the federal Ministry of Education and federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“When other states want to ask for a Sports School, they have to go through several phases. It might probably take five to 10 years to complete a Sports School.
“However, we have practically almost all the sports facilities near the school and if both ministries agree with our proposal, they do not have to come up with a lot of money,” he pointed out.
Moreover, a Sports Village is currently under construction and the students of the Sports School will be housed there.
With the Sports School, Sports Village, Sports Complex and High Performance Centre in place, Karim said Sarawak is on the right track to achieving the vision to be the sports powerhouse.
Also present yesterday were Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Nancy Jolhi, Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee, WFS president Allen Wong Siew Poh and deputy president James Ting Ing Seek.