Site of new football training centre narrowed to Sibu or Sarikei

From left: Mohd Safrushahar, Abdullah and Awang Putrayusrie photographed during the souvenir presentation ceremony at the event in Kuching on March 13, 2023. Photo credit: Ukas

KUCHING, March 14: National Football Development Programme (NFDP) Sarawak is planning to set up a new training centre either in Sibu or Sarikei.

Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Ukas) Datuk Abdullah Saidol who is the NFDP Sarawak patron, said the plan would expand the programme’s network in Sarawak which already has training centres in Kuching, Bau, Bintulu and Miri.

“I hope NFDP can consider this proposal,” he said when officiating at the NFDP Sarawak workshop here yesterday, as reported by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas).

Abdullah who is also the Semop assemblyman further hoped that the programme can be extended to rural areas to discover new football talents.

“Sarawak has its own football champion, Joseph Kallang Tie, who comes from the interior of Sarawak. There are many other sports champions who come from the highlands too,” he added.

For the record, there are five NFDP Tunas Academies and District Training Centers (PLD) in Sarawak with a total of 720 trainees registered in the Under-12 category and 375 trainees registered in the Under-17 category.

Also present were Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) chief executive officer Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan and National Sports Council (NSC) director for Sports Development Division, Mohd Safrushahar Yusoff. — DayakDaily