By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 20: Sarawak’s medal prospects appear to be dim following the dropping of Taekwondo in the 2022 Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) Games which will take place in Kuala Lumpur this September.
This is another event dropped from Sukma after diving, both of which Sarawak has excelled in.
Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed his disappointment over such a move and that his advice had fallen on deaf ears.
“I have chided the organisers so many times because sports events like this (Taekwondo) should not be dropped (from Sukma).
“Taekwondo is very popular with many athletes. So I don’t know why it was dropped,” he told reporters during the Premier of Sarawak Borneo Cup International Taekwondo (WTF) Championship 2022 held at Stadium Perpaduan here today.
He further described the removal of Taekwondo from Sukma as “politics in Malaysian sports”.
“Probably because for the last three Sukma games, Sarawak has been doing very well in Taekwondo, where we have been delivering many golds.
“And probably because of that, the organiser doesn’t want the sport (Taekwondo) to be contested. Or else, Sarawak will sweep (gold medals) again,” he added.
Abdul Karim further urged Federal Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to relook into the politicisation of sports as well as the sports fraternity as a whole.
“There’s a lot of politics in the sports industry. That is why the Sports Minister (Faizal) must look over his subordinates too, ‘ramai yang tak betul juga’ (many are not too right in their heads),” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
