KUALA LUMPUR: The inclusion of cricket in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024 will definitely serve as an added boost towards ongoing efforts of developing grassroot talent and more importantly retaining talent. Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) president Mohammed Iqbal Ali Kassim Ali (pic) said the Sukma is a critical platform in the development journey of budding young athletes in Malaysia.
He said as such, MCA hopes to leverage on this to scout and retain the country’s best future talent by the time cricket is contested in Sarawak next year. “MCA lauds the inclusion of cricket alongside four other sports that will be contested in the 2024 Sukma Games in Sarawak as an important step in unity and development.
“MCA extends its appreciation to Sarawak Cricket Association and the respective Majlis Sukan Negeri (state sports councils) for their efforts to ensure the inclusion of cricket,” he said in a statement. Muhammad Iqbal said the leadership of Sarawak’s Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah in this endeavour has been integral to the successful bid to include cricket in Sukma 2024.
He said it is now possible to look positively to the future with the support of the Sarawak state government and that MCA expects that the Sukma cricket tournament will set a new benchmark for the sport in Borneo.
In the meantime, he stated that the effort by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to include the five additional sports in Sukma 2024 was simply phenomenal as she continues to go down to the ground and listens to the needs and requirements of all stakeholders.
Muhammad Iqbal said Malaysia is fortunate to have Hannah as Youth and Sports Minister in the country and believed sports will grow tenfold under her leadership.
“Malaysian Cricket salutes you for all your efforts and sincere dedication to the challenges faced now and your vision of the future,” he said. Apart from cricket, Hannah on June 12 said the Sukma Supreme Committee meeting had decided that softball, chess, kabbadi and silambam will be the additional sports that will be contested Sukma 2024, scheduled to be held from Aug 17 to 24. – BERNAMA
