By Malcolm Lau
KUCHING, Apr 14: Ministry of Youth and Sports Sarawak (MYSS) will be expected to undertake more initiatives after having an overwhelming response towards the inaugural Sarawak Youths Stay At Home Challenge 2020 complying with the extended Movement Control Order (MCO).
“We are happy with the overwhelming response towards the inaugural Sarawak Youths Stay At Home Challenge 2020 which has proven to be popular with our youths from throughout the State and also those who are residing outside Sarawak,” Minister of Youth and Sports Sarawak Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said on the stay-at-home challenge which ended on Apr 13.
“In view of the extended Movement Control Order, we hope our youths who are also confined to their homes will take the opportunity to participate in our activities which will enable them to pit skills with those in their peer group,” he added.
Abdul Karim said that organising eSports was an effective way to better engage with the youth where the youth’s talent will be developed from online gaming.
“In view of the extended Movement Control Order, we hope our youths who are also confined to their homes will take the opportunity to participate in our activities which will enable them to pit skills with those in their peer group,” Abdul Karim said.
Abdul Karim said that online games will be a good diversion for the youths who have been affected by the MCO especially the cancellation of schools, tertiary studies, public events, and activities and the ministry and there is a need for the ministry to plan and re-strategise programmes in order for the youths to interact with their peers.
“We, therefore, welcomed our youths getting involved in eSports and other Online gaming activities which has helped many to feel less depressed or bored while staying safe at home throughout the MCO period,” he said.
He pointed out that there was an increase in demand by the online gaming communities throughout the world including Malaysia and millions were staying at home to curb the spread of COVID 19 Pandemic.
“We will be organising another exciting stay at home challenge for our youths and the event will be officially announced soon,” the minister said on the next series of “stay at home challenge” to be organised by the ministry with SESA (Sarawak eSports Association).
Meanwhile, Aidil Afiz bin Azri from Kuching with his Playstation Network Identification (PSN ID) “Afizaziz” emerged victorious in the FIFA 2.0 competition grand finals after he edged Ahmad Shahreezal bin Mohamad Ghazali (PSN ID Reezalmg_8) also from Kuching, with a goal aggregate score of 4 – 2. The third placing went to Muhammad Nasrullah bin Mohammad Asmawie (PSN ID Tri_Owl) from Bintulu who defeated Mohd Ajral Aswad (PSN ID yahoozx) of Kuching in the third and fourth placing playoff competition.
The other top 10 participants in the FIFA 2.0 competitions are namely Arish Syameer
(PSN ID Arish_Syameer), Muhammad Aldreen Siddiq bin Zakaria (PSN ID Aldarare), Asyraff Zakaris (PSN ID Asyraff Zakaris), Razi Yunus (PSN ID Honam7), Abbas Syazmi bin Mustaffa Kamil (PSN ID Maiffa71) and Muhammad Nasrul Zariff Irfan bin Shapiee (PSN ID Kaizoku_421). —DayakDaily
