By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 25: The current haze affecting Kuching is expected to be temporary and will not disrupt the upcoming Borneo Games scheduled from September 24 to 28.
Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah attributed the haze to a large fire in the Riau archipelago, Indonesia, which has been sending smoke across the region due to changing wind directions.
“Right now, the smoke is moving toward Kuching. But the Riau archipelago is not that big.
“Once they manage to control the fire, I believe we won’t be seeing this kind of air index again,” he said during a press conference announcing the Air Supply 50th Anniversary Concert at The Spring Mall today.
Admitting that the current air quality is “not really that good,” Abdul Karim expressed confidence that conditions would improve before the Borneo Games, which are scheduled to take place around the same time as the Air Supply concert on Sept 24.
“By the time the Borneo Games are held, I think the situation should be okay. Hopefully, it will be okay,” he added.
When asked if the games would be postponed should the haze persist, Abdul Karim said the organisers are monitoring the situation closely but are not expecting delays.
“Based on weather forecasts and projections, the haze may still be there, but the Air Pollution Index (API) is unlikely to reach levels that would prevent the games from going on.
“If possible, we don’t want any disruptions when the time comes,” he told reporters.
On preparations, Abdul Karim assured that Sarawak is fully ready to host the event, noting that the State had recently hosted the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in August last year.
“In terms of facilities and management, we are ready. The Borneo Games only involve five core sports and two traditional sports, compared to over 30 during Sukma. So this is very easy for us,” he said.
He added that the organising committee, the Ministry, Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) and volunteers are all well-prepared.
On Sarawak athletes’ readiness, Abdul Karim said preparations are progressing smoothly.
“More importantly, the Borneo Games are not just about winning. The bigger goal is to build bonds among provinces and states within Borneo,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
