By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 28: Sarawak’s success in hosting various national and international championships, as well as its preparations to co-host the SEA Games 2026, were highlighted during a courtesy call by the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) to Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report, the delegation, led by its secretary-general Nasser Majali, was welcomed by Abdul Karim, along with other guests, at the ministry’s office in Petra Jaya on Thursday (Aug 27).
The courtesy call was part of efforts to strengthen ties between the two parties in regional sports, with the hour-long meeting reflecting the close relationship between Sarawak and ISSA, particularly in sports development.
In his brief presentation, Nasser said ISSA is the governing body responsible for organising the Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG), held every four years.
He mentioned that the ISG involves participation from 57 member countries under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with the most recent edition hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2025.
According to him, the visit also aimed to inform attendees about the selection of Malaysia as the next host for the ISG in 2029.
He explained that ISSA also used this platform to share insights and experiences from previous ISG editions to help Malaysia with its upcoming hosting duties.
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim welcomed the ISSA delegation’s visit, describing it as a valuable opportunity for discussion that could benefit the advancement of sports across regional Islamic countries.
He noted that ISSA has played a pivotal role in elevating the stature of sports in Islamic nations through the staging of the ISG since 2005.
Also present were Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu; Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operations) Datu Hii Chang Kee; secretary-general of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali; and permanent secretary to the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Dzulkornain Masron. — DayakDaily
