KUCHING, July 22: A total of 50 participants took part in an exhibition fight event for boxing, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu hosted by Neofelis Diardi Warrior Mix Martial Art Fight Club (NDW Club) at Kuching Sentral Complex today.
The event which saw the participants fighting in the octagon cage was organised in conjunction with the Sarawak Day celebrations.
Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang who officiated at the event stressed that martial arts is a healthy sport that had gained a lot of young enthusiasts.
In a gesture of support, he also announced the allocation of a grant for the event.
To uphold the standard of the sport, qualified referees were deployed from the Sarawak Boxing Association and Kickboxing Association.
Competent medical personnel led by NDW Club president Dr Tan Lean Sim were stationed full time at the venue not only to ensure the physical fitness of all the competitors, but also to provide first aid services in case of any untoward eventualities.
In his speech, Dr Tan spoke of the remarkable cooperation among the club members in successfully hosted this very first event organised by the club within such a short amount of time.
Meanwhile, organising chairman John Wong Chiew Shui gave a brief introduction of NDW Club, which teaches a variety of martial arts.
Despite financial constraints, the committee and the club members had been financing the club since its inception. Their shared objectives were to promote martial arts and to provide a proper avenue for enthusiasts to pick up the sport.
Sih Hua Tong, a special guest who spoke at the function pointed out that it was a very meaningful event organised in commemoration of Sarawak Day.
He noted that every Sarawakian celebrated Sarawak day in their own way, while NDW Club and the competitors chose to express their love to Sarawak through such an event.
He expressed that with the kind of togetherness witnessed at the function, it was hoped that all Sarawakian would remain united and continue to support and pursue the privilege, rights and interest as enshrined under Malaysian Agreement 1963.
He urged all fellow Sarawakians to remain united and not to be weakened or divided by any foreign parties or forces, adding that Sarawakians should be their own master in determining the fate of the State. — DayakDaily
