By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Feb 20: Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) will stage its inaugural President’s Cup Futsal Championship from May 1 to 3.
Saberkas deputy president Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu said the championship was approved at the organisation’s recent Exco meeting following grassroots feedback during the Saberkas Sports Carnival (KASUS), which called for a larger-scale competition among members.
“We are opening participation to all 82 Saberkas branches Statewide.
“We encourage each branch to send one team comprising 10 players, and the team members must consist of registered Saberkas members from their respective branches,” he said during a press conference held at Baitulmakmur II here today.
Rentap, who also chairs the Saberkas Recreation, Culture and Sports Sub-Committee, said the three-day tournament will feature preliminary rounds on May 1 and 2, followed by the semi-finals and final on May 3.
Matches on the first two days will be played at Arena Sukan Simpang Tiga in Kuching, while the grand final will take place at Asajaya Sports Complex in Samarahan.
The closing date for registration is March 30 to enable organisers to conduct the draw and finalise the league format in April.
The championship is open to male players only, with no age limit imposed as long as participants are registered Saberkas members.
“This is the first edition of the President’s Cup. We hope this platform will not only strengthen ties among branches but also help us identify young talents who could potentially be developed further, including for the Malaysia Games (Sukma),” he added.
The champion will walk away with RM7,000 in cash, medals, a trophy and certificates. The runners-up will receive RM5,000, medals and certificates, while the joint third-placed teams will each take home RM3,000 along with medals and certificates.
Teams reaching the quarter-finals will also receive RM1,000 each.
Special awards will be presented to the Best Player, Best Goalkeeper and Top Scorer, each receiving a plaque and RM200 in cash.
Rentap said details of the tournament will be disseminated via Saberkas’ Facebook page, social media platforms and official email to all branches to encourage full participation, especially from those in Kuching and nearby areas.
He added that the tournament forms part of activities lined up ahead of Saberkas’ Triennial General Meeting (TGM) this year, which will see the election of a new Exco lineup.
The opening and prize presentation ceremonies are expected to be officiated by Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also the Saberkas president. — DayakDaily
