SRI AMAN: State government-owned sports facilities such as stadiums and sports fields must be fully utilised, including being opened for school use to produce more potential athletes from the grassroots level.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, said that this strategic move is a long-term investment by the Sarawak Government in sports development, ensuring that state-class facilities are not left idle but are instead utilised as continuous training centres for students and youth.

“Our government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will continue to enhance our sports facilities, and these can be used by schools.

“Let us not build stadiums only for them to go unused with long grass. We build stadiums, let the schools use them,” he emphasised.

He said this while speaking at the Closing Ceremony of SUKSAR IV 2026 Betong-Sri Aman here, on Sunday.

According to him, sports facilities built using large state government allocations must be easily accessible by schools without burdensome charges, so that training and sports talent development can be carried out consistently.

“Do not impose excessively high charges; use our stadiums and sports fields because the Sarawak Government spends a great deal for this purpose.

“Other states have to wait for the federal government; we in Sarawak do not need to ask or even wait to build sports facilities, and I only ask that these facilities be utilised,” he added. - UKASnews

Reporter: Jonnie Kiew
Translator: Ryan Lim
Photographer: Muhammad Rais Sanusi