14,000 students to cheer for Sarawak

KUCHING: Some 14,000 students from both secondary and primary schools will rally as cheerleaders across all nine divisions from Aug 17 to 24, bolstering support for the Sarawak athletes at the coming Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024.

Sarawak State Sports Council (SSC) director Awang Putra Yusrie said the opportunity given would be an added exposure for the school students to support the Sarawak contingent.

“This would be a bonus and an advantage as we would have cheer teams from the schools.

“We have also requested respective sports associations to support the events that are held in each venue,” he told reporters after chairing the Sarawak Contingent 2024 Flag Handover Secretariat Meeting at Sarawak Contingent Secretariat Room at Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre here yesterday.

Awang Putra, who is also the Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer, said support given at all the venues would provide increasing confidence and spirit to the athletes at the venues.

“In Sarawak, they will be in all the divisions such as Kuching, Lundu, Samarahan, Serian, covering all areas.

“For example, in one venue in Kuching, there might be only 40-50 students.

But in Kuching, there are many venues, so they (students) will be spread out,” he added.

Awang Putra said with the collaboration from the Sarawak Education Department, the students would be assigned every day throughout the Games.

“It’s beneficial for students to gain experience and develop interest in local sports.

The Games will provide opportunities for all nearby school students to stay active and engage in sports,” he said.

SUKMA 2024 will have 37 sports with a total of 488 events, including 236 men’s events, 217 women’s events and 35 mixed events.

The competitions will be held in nine divisions: Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu and Miri.

For the record, Sarawak previously hosted SUKMA in 1990 and 2016. The Games started in 1986.