KUCHING: A total of 22 athletes and officials from Sarawak will represent the Malaysian contingent at the International Martial Arts Contest 2026 (IMAC 2026), to be held from 15 to 18 October in Chungju, Republic of Korea.

They will be among approximately 200 participants representing 39 delegations from various martial arts organisations across 19 countries.

The other participating countries are South Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Uzbekistan, India, Indonesia, Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Ghana, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Poland, New Zealand, the United States, the Philippines and Pakistan.

The departure of Malaysian contingent was officially flagged off by Chief Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier and Tupong Assemblyman Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman at Kuching International Airport (KIA) recently.

The event will feature various martial arts disciplines, including Sarawak Kunto Melayu, Kuntau Iban, Kutow Bidayuh, Gumdo, Hapkido, Taekwondo, Boxing, Lethwei, Vo Co Truyen, Silat, Jang Sanati, Thang-Ta, Sqay, Zurkahneh, Wushu, Kuresi, Bulkempo, Arnis and traditional Maori martial arts.

The event is being held in conjunction with the International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage, observed on 17 October under the theme “Living Heritage: Traditional Martial Arts”.

Its main theme, “Fit for Life”, is directly aligned with UNESCO’s global initiative to empower individuals and promote well-being through physical activity and sports.

This gathering of martial arts practitioners from around the world serves as a meaningful symbol of unity amid current challenges marked by global conflicts.

It also reflects the international community’s shared commitment to fostering global harmony and peace. -UKASnews

Prepared by: Ryan Lim