Sarawak sending team of 52 for BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games

KUCHING: Sarawak will be sending a 52-strong contingent to the 9th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games to be held in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, in Indonesia from Dec 6 to 12.

The Sarawak contingent – total 40 athletes, seven coaches and five officials – will be led by Kameri Affandi, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Solidarity.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, who announced this yesterday, said Sarawak is one of three teams from Malaysia participating in the competition. The two others are Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

Although the competition is more friendly in nature, Manyin said members of the Sarawak contingent have been told to win honours for the state.

“This F riendship Games i s meant to promote and strengthen ties between regions and provinces in BIMP- EAGA which comprises Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia. “Members of the Sarawak delegation are our little ambassadors. They compete for honours and at the same time maintain good level of sportsmanship,” he told reporters at the ceremony to hand over Sarawak colours to Kameri.

Also present were Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Abduk Karim Rahman Hamzah and officials from the ministry and Sarawak Sports Council.

The Games this time wi l l feature 21 teams. Apart from three teams from Malaysia, the others are Indonesia with 15 teams, Philippines (2), Australia (1) and Brunei (1). Altogether, there are 12 events of futsal, sepak takraw, archery, pencak silat, badminton, basketbal l, athletics, beach volleyball, ping pong, tennis, karate and golf.

Sarawak will be participating in seven events such as archery, ping pong, athletics, badminton, pencak silat, sepak takraw and tennis.

The Friendship Games are held once in two years, and meant as a promotion among the East Asian Growth Area for economy, tourism and investment and held once in two years.

It was last organised in the Federal Territory of Labuan in 2014 where Sabah emerged champions with 16 (7 gold-5 silver- 4 bronze) medals while Sarawak was runner-up with 15 (5- 5- 5) medals. It was first held in the Philippines in 1996 and then in Brunei in 1997; discontinued until 2003 when the Philippines played host again followed by Malaysia ( Sabah) in 2004, Indonesia in 2006, Brunei in 2008 and the Philippines again in 2012.