… win Sportsman and Sportswoman 2015-16 award
KUCHING: KL SEA Games gold medallist in the taijiquan event, Loh Jack Chang (wushu) won the Sportman of the Year 2015/2016 while Nurul Hidayah Abdul Karim (taekwondo) edged national diving queen Pandelela Rinong Pamg and national swimming athletes Erika Kong Chia Chia and Angela Chieng Chui Fei to be the Sportswoman of the Year 2015/2016 during the Sarawak Sports Award 2015/2016 ceremony held at a hotel, here, on Saturday night.
The duo received RM5,000, a trophy and certificate each.
“I would like to congratulate the athletes that have successfully lifted Sarawak’s name to the world through sporting events, be it in previous 18th Sukma last year and also in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur recently,” Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said through a recorded video presentation which was broadcasted during the Sarawak Sports Award 2015/2016 ceremony at a local hotel, on Saturday
“The State government will continue to provide a sport facilities with an international standards to the State athletes,” he announced.
He noted that one of the sport facilities which is of international standard was built in Sibu, which is the badminton stadium.
“Therefore, I will continue to strive to provide international sporting facilities for Sarawak athletes as the State have a lot of talents in this field. “Of course, our State athletes will do better if they are provided with the right facilities,” said the Chief Minister .
He added that with the development of more sporting infrastructure in the State, it would provide an opportunity for more Sarawakians to get involved.
“I’m confident that the future of sports for Sarawakians will be improved and we will strive to become the most successful sporting State and contributed to the sporting scene in the national and international level,” he said.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that the State Sport Council (MSNS) have received a total of 160 participation for the 16 sport awards categories this year.
“It shows that the development of sports in the State is positive, where our male and female athletes are increasing in number.
“This can be witnessed when a lot of Sarawakian athletes representing Malaysia in the 2015 SEA Games and 2015 Paralympic SEA Games which was organised in Singapore, and including in Rio Olympic 2015 and Paralympic 2015 also in Rio,” said Karim, adding that State success in the sporting events is not only through competitions, but the State also received a compliment for successfully organising the 18th Sukma.
Meanwhile, for the Paralympics category, Jamery Anak Siga (Swimming) and Nur Atirah Voon Abdullah (track) won both male and female OKU 2015/2016 category. The most promising male athletes 2015/2016 category was awarded to Jerry Anak Gawan (weightlifting), and Alice Chang Li Sian for the female category.
Jackson Ting Nik Soon (tenpin bowling) received the best coach 2015/2016 award, while for the paralympic best coach award 2015/2016 category was won by Matthew Chin Hiong Choi (track) and the sport leadership award goes to Sunny Sii Poh Heng (tenpin bowling).
The male tenpin bowling team also received the Best Male Team award 2015/2016 category while for the female best team 2015/2016 category went to Female Tenpin Bowling team while the Tenpin Bowling Association Sarawak received an award for the Best Sport Organisation 2015/2016 award.
In the media category, Harri Illias from Utusan Borneo won the best Bahasa Malaysia Sportswriter 2015/2016 award category while Ting Tieng Hee from Borneo Post won the Best English Sportswriter Award 2015/2016 .
In the best Mandarin Sportwriter 2015/2016 award, it was won by Hii Hong Wee from Sin Chew Daily.
Teo Chi Wei from See Hua Daily News was announced as the winner for the best photograph award 2015/2016.
Also present were State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin and other distinguished guests.
