By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Jan 15: Sarawak’s push to strengthen its badminton scene received a boost with a new collaboration between Yonex Sunrise and the Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA).
Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development (Mysed) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah welcomed SBA’s proactive efforts to strengthen coaching, competition exposure, and player development.
“The collaboration with Yonex, a globally respected badminton brand, reflects SBA’s ambition to build a more professional and competitive ecosystem for the sport in Sarawak,” he said when witnessing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Yonex Sunrise and SBA at a hotel here today.
According to him, the collaboration will enhance equipment support and high-performance development, while ensuring grassroots talents receive exposure beyond Sarawak.
He emphasised that coaches are vital to the success of any sport, citing Wong Ling Ching as proof of Sarawak’s ability to produce international-level players when given the right support and exposure.
“It would be a proud moment for Sarawak to see our young players step onto bigger stages, not only as participants but as serious competitors,” he added.
Abdul Karim also called for closer collaboration between SBA, schools, clubs, and government agencies.
“If the pathways are clear and the governance is sound, more parents will feel confident supporting their children in sports,” he said.
He added that the Sarawak government, through Mysed, will continue to support sports bodies that demonstrate professionalism and good governance.
He further congratulated SBA and Yonex Sunrise on the partnership and expressed hope that it would deliver better results for Sarawak badminton in the future.
Also present were SBA president Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, MYSED permanent secretary Dzulkarnain Masron, Yonex Sunrise Sunrise Sports Sdn Bhd country manager Deepu Sree Kumar, honorary secretary Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, members of the SBA council, representatives from Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) and Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS), as well as coaches and players. — DayakDaily
