By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 21: Sarawak will celebrate National Sports Day 2021 (HSN2021) on Oct 10, a day later than the other states because the scheduled date (Oct 9) clashes with the Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s birthday.
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the State-level HSN2021 committee which he chairs has already informed the federal committee and the federal Ministry of Youth and Sports of the matter.
“The event will be held at State Sports Youth and Sports Complex at Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Hj Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in Kuching, and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to officiate at the event on that day.
“We also had video conferencing with Residents from all divisions and relevant authorities earlier and instructed all divisions to organise activities related to sports on that same day or the whole month in compliance with Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“The events can also be watched virtually on Facebook,” he said during a press conference at Bangunan Baitulmakmur 2 building in Kuching today.
The HSN2021 is a federal government initiative which aims to encourage Malaysians to be active in sports and ensure that they remain fit and healthy, enhance unity among Malaysians, and empower the sports industry in the country.
Abdul Karim also discloses that HSN2021 targets enlisting 2.5 million participants nationwide. Sarawak on the other hand, hopes to achieve its targeted number of 211,463 participants.
When asked about featured events for the coming State-level HSN2021, Abdul Karim said contact sports are still prohibited in Sarawak.
“Therefore, I hope the ban on contact sports such as football and futsal in Sarawak will be lifted as soon as possible.
“It is high time that we (Sarawak) open up (sic) sports activities because we have already achieved herd immunity and almost 99.9 per cent of daily infections reported are in Categories 1 and 2 only,” he added.
Among the activities which are scheduled to be held during the State-level HSN2021 are a virtual talk on fitness, aerobics, ping pong and Crossfit competitions, a silat performance and Timang Bola Raga (juggling), Fitness for Life webinar (related to sports for people with special needs), a hike up Gunung Selabat and PUBG scrims in e-sports.
Others include a creative sharing session with social influencers, a #towardssportingnation and #HSN2021 hashtag campaign from Oct 9 to 31, and the KBS Freestyle Challenge, HSN2021’s virtual football juggling competition. — DayakDaily
