KK wins Chinese chess contest
KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu district emerged as the winner of the 14th Sabah Chinese Primary School Chinese Chess Competition.
Taking the second, third and fourth placings were the Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu teams respectively.
The winners will represent the state in the national competition in Kedah.
Fifty-four students from various Chinese primary schools from Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kudat, Beaufort, Papar, Keningau, Tenom and Kota Kinabalu took part in the competition on July 27 and 28 at SJK (C) Chung Hwa here.
It was organized by the Sabah Chinese Primary School Working Committee, Kota Kinabalu Chinese Primary Schools (SJKC) Headmaster Council and KK Chess Association.
When giving out the prizes to the winners, Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia chairman cum Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai urged all schools, teachers and parents to promote and encourage the learning and playing of Chinese chess among students as it has been proven to help improve problem solving skills and stimulate intellectual curiosity among students.
“By stimulating our students’ intellectual curiosity, it will drive them to keep learning, keep trying and keep pushing forward, and this will help our students achieve their greatest potential,” he said.
“Parents should also teach their children how to play the board game as the time spent will create a good parent-child bonding session, something that is missing in today’s family life whereby parents are too busy with their work. By teaching our children to play the game, we are also instilling in them fine values such as being considerate, respectful and tolerance. I have no doubt by doing so these children will in turn become useful and respectful members of society contributing towards our nation’s development,” he added.
Also present at the closing ceremony were Assistant Director for Chinese School Unit, Sabah Education Department Tham Yun Fook, Sabah Chinese School Working Committee chairman Datuk William Chu and Sabah Chinese School Teachers Association chairman cum Kota Kinabalu SJK(C) Headmasters Council chairman Datuk Eng Thiam Leong.