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.

30 Coaches To Benefit From Vest’s Course

KUCHING: A total of 30 coaches will benefit from the higher level of coaching course to be conducted by Englishman coach Alan Vest in Miri from Feb 10-13.

He’s here as a part-time technical director helping us to set up, plan and implement a five-year development programme.

“At the moment, under our development project we have 30 coaches where Vest will go to the ground to give the coaches a refresher course and work with them so that they will be upgraded to a higher level in the field of coaching,” the co-ordinator of the project, Lucas Kalang Laeng said.

“On other days he will also be working with the State SUKMA team and his trip here is a follow-up of last year’s visit where he did a coaching course for coaches.”

“This is part two of a series of his work with us to develop football,” said Kalang of the former State coach who will conduct the course at the Miri Stadium which will be divided into various sessions starting from 8am.
He added that three full-time coaches - Sulaiman Mustanir, Jamal Waslie and Pengiran Bala - had been appointed to look after the development efforts at the regional centres of Kuching, Sibu and Miri respectively.

Commentary On The Sorry State Of Sarawak’s SUKMA Football

KUCHING: The recent announcement of the launching of the Football Development project after a year’s delay and thousands of ringgit in grant must be music to the ears of success-starved Sarawak football fans.

If the report by a local newspaper that former Sarawak legendary coach Alan Vest will be the director of coaching is correct, Sarawak football shall have a strong SUKMA squad this time. 

It may be able to enter at least the semifinals or capture the SUKMA trophy after the millions of ringgits spent.

But why Vest who is semi-retired and who has already stated that he will never hold a full-time job unless he is invited to do short courses or give a few day’s coaching clinics.

He might be a legend and well versed in development, but he will not be able to give his all. 

Big boost for state football devt - RM1.5 mln annually for five years programme

by Ting Tieng Hee, Theborneopost

KUCHING: The Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) got a big shot in the arm on Thursday when its application for funds to run a five-year football development programme was given the nod by the State Cabinet.MSNS director Francis Nyurang Ding said with the funds, the Council could proceed with implementation immediately.

“I have just been notified by the state government today that the application we submitted last year has been approved, and we will be given RM1.5 million annually for five years to run the programme,” he disclosed on Thursday.

Francis said the groundwork was, in fact, laid last year when the Council organised a course in June for 33 coaches in Miri.

Former Sarawak coach Alan Vest conducted the course with the assistance of state football development coordinator Lucas Kalang.

According to Francis, the programme was on hold for a while as the council was awaiting the government’s approval for the application.