Fatimah: 20 hotels in Kuching to accommodate Para Sukma 2024 athletes, officials

KUCHING (Sept 3): A total of 20 hotels throughout Kuching will accommodate 2,111 athletes and officials for the Para Sukma 2024 later this month, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

The Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing said the organising committee is ensuring the facilities in these hotels are disabled-friendly and can accommodate the needs of 1,290 para-athletes, including 290 on wheelchairs, from 15 contingents.

She said the hotels include Imperial Hotel, which will house the Sarawak contingent, Raia Hotel, Roxy Hotel Third Mile and several others, including the hostel facility at the Kuching Youth and Sports Complex.

“Actually, if we say Sports Village (for Para Sukma), it would mean all the athletes will stay in one place. (But) it is just a term we use. Altogether, there are 20 hotels. So, the launching ceremony (of the Sports Village) will be symbolically and simultaneously held at one place,” she said in a press conference after visiting the accommodation facilities at Raia Hotel here today.

Para Sukma 2024 is scheduled to take place from Sept 22-28, featuring 328 events across 10 sports namely para-athletics (134 events), para-swimming (60), para-powerlifting (24), para-chess (23), para-tenpin bowling (22), para lawn bowls (20), para-ping pong (15), para-archery (14), para-badminton (13), and boccia (9).

It will see the participation of 1,290 athletes from 15 contingents across Malaysia, namely Sarawak (213 athletes), Sabah (146), Johor (112), Selangor (100), Perak (88), Penang (81), Kedah (76), Terengganu (75), Negeri Sembilan (71), Perlis (64), Melaka (62), Pahang (57), Kelantan (48), Kuala Lumpur (33), and Labuan (64).

On a related matter, she said the preparedness level to host this tournament is now at 80 percent.

She revealed that apart from the main organising committee, there are 27 sub-committees involved in the handling of Para Sukma 2024.

“The good thing is that we retain the same committees who were on duty during recently concluded Sukma Sarawak 2024, and they also work in Para-Sukma.

” Their duties remain the same.  From there, they already have the experience,” she said.

She explained that for Para Sukma, there will be tweaks here and there according to the athletes’ needs.

“(For example) the special needs for those who use wheelchairs.  Can the wheelchair go through the door?  Then what are the toilet facilities like?  Modify here there. Then, also special attention for those of dwarf-size, and also the visually impaired. Modify a little (here and there) where special attention should be given so that it is easier for them,” she explained.

Also present was Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Felicia Tan.