KUCHING: Students taking up martial arts including martial artists have been reminded not to misuse their skills.
While expressing that he is glad to see many young people showing interest in martial arts, Bintulu incumbent Tiong King Sing reminded martial arts teachers to expose students to a variety of activities so as not to encourage them to misuse their skills for their own benefit or get involved in unhealthy activities such as gangsterism.
“I would also like to remind all martial arts enthusiasts not to abuse your strength to harm others or disrupt social order.
“Let’s not learn martial arts just to be seen as a powerful person and think of yourself as ‘taiko’ (big brother), but rather to form discipline and self-identity, train physical fitness and self-defence ability, and protection in the face of danger,” he said.
He said this in a Facebook post after attending the Bintulu Martial Arts for Youth 2022 programme at Boulevard Shopping Mall in Bintulu recently.
He stressed the time has come for children to be given more in-depth education on safety and one of the steps that can be taken is to open up the opportunity for them to get to know the art of self-defence and take part in classes.
“Although it is not a guarantee that our children will be protected from crime, at least these children are given the basis to defend themselves, thus preventing them from becoming the target of predators,” he said.
Tiong also proposed to the Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (SABERKAS) Tanjung Batu Branch to expand the scope of the organisation by highlighting the Kung Fu martial art to give opportunities to the youth, especially to exchange opinions and views on the martial arts of other communities.
“I also hope that SABERKAS Tanjung Batu Branch will organise an educational lecture related to martial arts so that the youth can gain exposure and understanding about martial arts,” he said.
