By Brad Rantayy
MIRI, Dec 21: A total of 40 sport facilities under the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYSS) have been officially handed over to Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC).
Youth development in the state has been the Sarawak government’s priority, asserted Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who witnessed the handover at his ministry’s appreciation night event here last night.
He emphasised that the government viewed youth as the generation that could ensure continuity in the state’s development.
“It is crucial that we engage with and empower our youth with skills and expand their opportunities,” he highlighted, adding that the value of a country was assessed not only by the richness in assets it possessed, but also its people.
“The young people are the future of our state, country’s development and future leaders,” he said.
As for MYSS, Abdul Karim added, its mission and vision was to maximise the youth’s potential as he believed they were the catalyst of state growth as well as asset to shape Sarawak into the nation’s sports powerhouse.
“Back in 2018, a year after my ministry was formed, together with the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, we planned to build a high performance sports centre to strengthen our sport infrastructure in an effort to make Sarawak a sports powerhouse in the country,” he pointed out.
Abdul Karim added, the state government has also built several mini sport complexes throughout the state to facilitate training for athletes.
“This reflects the state government’s seriousness in developing our youths in sports,” he emphasised.
Also present at the event were Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, MYSS permanent secretary Nancy Jolhi and SSC chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Ong Kong Swee. — DayakDaily
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect actual number of sports facilities handed over to SSC.
