10 Sabah tennis players to compete in Sukma despite medal exclusion
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Tennis Association (STA) will be sending 10 players to the 19th Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perak.
The players comprise Harish John Manoharan, Hiew Kee Jun, Luke Alfred Guansing, Ryan Chee and Gai Ueno Dares in the boys’ category and Clarissa Sofia, Azlien Natasyah, Callis Fung Pei Yee, Kenwyn Chang and Nurul Afiqah Batrisyia Azis for the girls’ category.
Sabah Tennis Association (STA) president Johnson Koh, however, expressed his disappointment that tennis was listed as an exhibition sport in the ongoing Sukma, despite the fact that all states were taking part.
Due to its exhibition sport status, results from tennis will not be included in the official medal tally.
“All the states are participating. This is to tell the authorities concerned that tennis, as the second most popular individual sport, is popular and has a great following in Malaysia.
“The notion that every host can ignore tennis in any Sukma is very disappointing and disruptive to the tennis fraternity,” he said in a statement to the press yesterday.
According to Koh, who is also Tennis Malaysia vice president, there was a policy which stated that if a sport can obtain a medal in the Sea Games, then it can be declared as a core sport.
“If Malaysia cannot even hold an inter-state tennis tournament in Sukma, how can you produce a Sea Games medallist?
“The promotion, searching for talent and further training must be from districts and states. The ministry and relevant authorities must spearhead this,” he stressed.
Koh suggested that the Sports Minister ensured that tennis must be included in all Sukma.
“Tennis is in the Olympics, Asian Games and Sea Games, every state has tennis facilities and big districts also have them.
“I hope this issue of tennis not being included in Sukma will not happen again,” he stressed.
The tennis squad left for Perak yesterday where Koh is also the team manager, alongside Tito Latoja as the coach and Shamsuddin Mustamin as chaperon.