KUALA LUMPUR: As the host of the upcoming Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024 next month, Sarawak is focused on setting a benchmark as the best organiser while also aiming to capture the overall title, ending a 30-year wait, said its Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said that the highlight of the 21st Sukma is the hope of seeing Sarawak achieve success after failing to do so when hosting the games in 2016.

With the preparations of the athletes and the venue going according to plan, Abdul Karim believes Sarawak has a bright chance to emerge as the overall champion, thereby fueling the love for sports in Sarawak and the dream of representing the country.

"Hence, this year's opportunity is quite promising for me. In terms of preparation, equipment, and so on, many Sarawak athletes are currently abroad; some have yet to return home for six months, and others are in Thailand and Indonesia. This level of preparation is because we aim to be the overall champion.

"We hope that by becoming the overall champion, we can raise the spirit and interest in sports not only in Sarawak but also encourage athletes to become national representatives. I also hope that one day Malaysia can achieve gold in the Olympics.

"Apart from striving to become the champion, we want to ensure the best organisation in terms of the opening ceremony, performances, and overall execution. Everyone is currently practising or working hard to ensure the opening day is perfect," he said in a special interview with Bernama at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Kuching recently.

Sukma 2024 is scheduled to take place from Aug 17 to 24.

Commenting on the competition, Abdul Karim said Sarawak will face tough challenges from Selangor, the Federal Territories, Penang, and Sabah, which have strengths in various sports.

Meanwhile, to rekindle the sporting spirit of the biennial games, Abdul Karim, who is also Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries, and Performing Arts, said that the state government will prepare a special cheerleading team for each state.

He explained that this initiative was taken into account due to logistical factors and a desire to maintain the excitement during SUKMA.

Interestingly, the cheerleading teams are made up of Sarawakian students.

"Hence, this is to lift the spirit of the people of Sarawak, and provide strong support to our team, and also to other competing teams. We are not too partisan; anyone who excels should be supported," he explained.

"We have cheerleading teams to support Selangor, and the team supporting Penang will wear the state's shirts so the athletes can feel the support.

"It is quite costly for those from the Peninsula to come, so it is most likely that only the parents will attend. Therefore, the schools will provide support on the side of the court," he added.

In this edition, Sarawak aims to collect at least 70 gold medals in its mission to win the title for the fourth time, having previously achieved a hat-trick in the 1990, 1992, and 1994 editions.

A total of 37 sports will be contested, involving 488 events, consisting of 236 men's events, 217 women's events, and 35 mixed events and will involve nine divisions: Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, and Miri.

Sukma, which was introduced in 1986, has been organised in Sarawak twice, in 1990 and 2016. - BERNAMA

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1077708/sukma-sarawak-focuses-setting-benchmark-best-host-capturing-overall