Jamit reminds students to take up sports seriously
KAPIT: Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat yesterday morning declared open the 39th MSSB Kapit track and field sports competition at Stadium Terbuka KPSU here which started on Feb 28 and will end on March 3.
The annual athletics meet for Kapit Division secondary schools and inter-district primary schools is seeing participation from seven secondary schools and primary schools representing Song, Kapit and Belaga districts.
In his speech, Jamit stressed to the students the importance of achieving holistic education that focuses on both academics and cocurricular activities for balanced spiritual and physical development to produce healthy and dynamic individuals with high intellectual capability and productivity.
He added that those who are mentally and physically fit are more productive than others who lack physical fitness.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The government is serious in instilling the element of sports through various strategies. Our education policy of ‘one student, one sport’ makes it compulsory for students to take up sports as one of the measures to inculcate the sporting spirit among all students,” he told the students. He reminded those present that 10 per cent of the marks when applying for higher studies in public institutions is for sports involvement.
“Take sports seriously, think of sports as business to generate income. In Malaysia, our athletes like badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Pandelela Rinong (swimming) and Datuk Nicol David (squash), for example, earn lots of money through prize money,” Jamit said.
“In fact there’re so many advantages to be actively involved in sports. Sports is a universally recognised agent to unite people of different cultures or religious beliefs. For example, a badminton game brings people closer in Malaysia,” added Jamit.
He congratulated the winners in the competitions and encouraged others to train harder to do better in future.
“Compete healthily to inculcate a sense of team work, cooperation and discipline and desire to do the best,” he said.
He hoped that the competition will unearth talents and potential among the athletes to be groomed to become national athletes.
Later, Jamit announced a government grant of RM10,000 for the Kapit Education Sports Council ( MSS Kapit).
Earlier, Kapit education Officer Ringgit @ Gawan Saut said the annual school sports meet is an important event in the education calendar.
“Through this competition, the best athletes will be selected to represent Kapit in the state level MSS (competition) scheduled to be held end of March in Kuching,” he explained. This year, a total of 438 events are to be competed from Feb 28 to March 2. Some 600 athletes are participating in the competition.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The government is serious in instilling the element of sports through various strategies. Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Bukit Goram assemblyman