RM1.5 Million For State Football Devt Programme

BY NORNI MAHADI, Easterntimes

MIRI:Sarawak Government has allocated some RM1.5 million towards the successful implementation of State Level Five-Year Football Development Programme.

Assistant Minister for Sports, Datuk Lee Kim Shin said such allocation has proven the government seriousness to develop the State sport industry in line with the effort to make Sarawak the sports powerhouse.

“A total of 600 participants from 30 selected secondary school sport development centres are taking part in the programme. The participants are divided into Under 15 and 17 years old,” he said when officiating at State Level five-year Football Development Programme at Dynasty Hotel, here, last Saturday night.

Datuk Lee, who is also the Chief-De-Mission Sarawak Contingent SUKMA XIII 2010, pointed out that the development programme is timely as Sarawak’s performance in the sport is worsening.

Lee added that under the programme, three regional development centres are being set up - one each in Kuching, Mukah and Miri.

The objective of the programme is to form an elite team to represent Sarawak in national and international competitions.

Towards the goal of making Sarawak sport powerhouse, he said several strategies are being taken to ensure systematic and professional development of sports without being influenced by sports politics.

Among the recent strategies are appointing a consultant to carry- out study and make recommendations for the 10-year development of sports in Sarawak.

He said systematic development management is vital to revive the glorious years of Sarawak for being champions for three consecutive times in SUKMA 1990, 1992 and 1994.

However, since then Sarawak performances had slowly worsened from second to third placing in the last SUKMA 2008 in Terengganu.

Sarawak is hoping to do well in the forthcoming SUKMA in Melaka in June this year.

Later, Lee presented certificates to participants of the seminar on Development of Football Coaching, as well as souvenirs to the facilitators which included former Sarawak Coach, Alan Vest, who is also Advisor of the Five-year programme for football.

Also present were Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Sport Development and Urbanisation Haji Soedirman Haji Aini and Director of Sarawak Sport Council Francis Nyurang Ding.