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KUCHING (Feb 10): Sarawak is set to take its sports development to the next level with the opening of its high-performance sports centre this year. The state’s Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Hamzah, revealed that the centre, featuring cutting-edge facilities, will be located at the Sarawak Sports Complex.
“Hopefully, it will take off this year. While it won’t be a massive building, the focus will be on essential equipment such as chambers that can simulate different climates to train and acclimatise our athletes,” said Abdul Karim during a press conference at Baitulmakmur Building II.
Abdul Karim emphasised that modern sports development goes beyond just physical training, highlighting the importance of sports science and nutrition. “We are planning to visit Australia to study how they manage sports science. Food intake is a critical aspect of an athlete’s performance, and this high-performance centre will help monitor and enhance it,” he explained.
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He also shared that similar centres are being planned for other divisions, including Miri and Sibu. Drawing inspiration from South Korea, where high-performance centres are available in almost every district, Abdul Karim said Sarawak aims to achieve a similar standard, but this will require time and specialised manpower.
“Setting up the centre is one thing, but having the right sports scientists and experts to run it is crucial. Without them, the centre will just be another ‘white elephant’,” he warned.
In his speech, Abdul Karim urged youth and sports associations to make full use of the grants provided by the government. He reminded them to utilise the funds wisely and avoid spending on unnecessary items like business cards or committee uniforms. Instead, the funds should support activities that benefit members and promote sports.
He also expressed disappointment over associations bypassing the state ministry to request additional funds from the federal government. “Come and see me if you need assistance. We always do our best to support the associations here,” he assured.
At the event, Abdul Karim handed out grants totaling RM1,894,600 to 42 associations, with RM434,600 allocated to five youth associations and RM1,460,000 distributed to 37 sports associations. -The Borneo Post