(Miri, 24th) Alan Ling Sie Kiong, a director of the Malaysian Sports Council, today attended the opening ceremony of the "2025 Sarawak Junior Archery Championship Series 1" on behalf of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeoh, and formally inaugurated the event. The event is held from May 24th to 26th at the Miri Stadium, gathering young archers from all over Sarawak to compete and hone their skills.
In his speech, Alan Ling Sie Kiong pointed out that sports development should not only pursue excellent results but also be rooted in solid youth training systems and grassroots construction. He specifically mentioned that Malaysia will co-host the 35th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027, with Sarawak playing a key role in this international event.
"Since its inception in 1959, the SEA Games has been an important platform for top athletes from 11 ASEAN countries to gather. Malaysia has participated since 1965 and has hosted the event six times. The last SEA Games in 2023 were held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where our delegation won 34 gold medals, ranking fourth."
Alan Ling Sie Kiong revealed that Sarawak will host 18 SEA Games events, seven of which have already been finalized, including athletics, aquatic sports, martial arts, and squash, all of which are advantages for Sarawak. He also announced that the opening ceremony of the 2027 SEA Games will be grandly held in Kuching, symbolizing Sarawak's hosting capability and cultural heritage being recognized nationally and internationally.
He is particularly optimistic about the development potential of archery and stated:
"Although Sarawak is vast and sparsely populated, it has excellent physical conditions and a strong sports culture. If we can seize the opportunity of the SEA Games to enhance the youth training mechanisms, coaching resources, and equipment investment, archery is expected to become Sarawak's breakthrough point in national and even international arenas."
He also highly praised the active efforts of the Sarawak Archery Association in promoting grassroots events and encouraged the association to strengthen cooperation with various secondary schools and sports councils to popularize archery in campuses and further expand the talent pool to supply elite archers for the country.
"The 2027 SEA Games is not only a highlight moment for the national sports scene but also a stage for young athletes to pursue their dreams. I look forward to seeing athletes from Miri, Kuching, Sibu, and Bintulu from Sarawak wearing the national flag and winning glory for the country in the arena!"
In his speech, Alan Ling Sie Kiong pointed out that sports development should not only pursue excellent results but also be rooted in solid youth training systems and grassroots construction. He specifically mentioned that Malaysia will co-host the 35th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027, with Sarawak playing a key role in this international event.
"Since its inception in 1959, the SEA Games has been an important platform for top athletes from 11 ASEAN countries to gather. Malaysia has participated since 1965 and has hosted the event six times. The last SEA Games in 2023 were held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where our delegation won 34 gold medals, ranking fourth."
Alan Ling Sie Kiong revealed that Sarawak will host 18 SEA Games events, seven of which have already been finalized, including athletics, aquatic sports, martial arts, and squash, all of which are advantages for Sarawak. He also announced that the opening ceremony of the 2027 SEA Games will be grandly held in Kuching, symbolizing Sarawak's hosting capability and cultural heritage being recognized nationally and internationally.
He is particularly optimistic about the development potential of archery and stated:
"Although Sarawak is vast and sparsely populated, it has excellent physical conditions and a strong sports culture. If we can seize the opportunity of the SEA Games to enhance the youth training mechanisms, coaching resources, and equipment investment, archery is expected to become Sarawak's breakthrough point in national and even international arenas."
He also highly praised the active efforts of the Sarawak Archery Association in promoting grassroots events and encouraged the association to strengthen cooperation with various secondary schools and sports councils to popularize archery in campuses and further expand the talent pool to supply elite archers for the country.
"The 2027 SEA Games is not only a highlight moment for the national sports scene but also a stage for young athletes to pursue their dreams. I look forward to seeing athletes from Miri, Kuching, Sibu, and Bintulu from Sarawak wearing the national flag and winning glory for the country in the arena!"