Kuching Hockey Association’s new line-up for 2026-2028 term

Desmond (centre) in a group photo with the new committee members of Kuching Hockey Association for the 2026-2028 term.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Jan 22: The Kuching Hockey Association (KHA) has recently elected Desmond Labung as its new president for the 2026–2028 term, succeeding Elis Mat, who has led the association since 2020.

In his acceptance speech, Desmond paid tribute to his predecessor and the outgoing committee for their dedication to the sport.

“I would like to sincerely thank Cikgu Elis and the previous committee members for their leadership, commitment and tireless contributions in strengthening hockey as one of Kuching’s core sports.

“I hope to continue building on the strong foundation that has been laid, together with the newly elected executive committee,” he said.

Desmond Labung

Outlining his vision, Desmond said the new leadership will place strong emphasis on the continuous development of hockey in Kuching, including reviving and introducing more competitive tournaments, strengthening the professional development of KHA sports administrators, coaches and umpires, as well as expanding regional and international collaborations to enhance player exposure and experience.

Desmond brings with him extensive experience in hockey administration, having previously served as Caretaker President of the Sarawak Ex-Players Hockey Association (PBPHS) since 2019, and Secretary of PBPHS for two consecutive terms since 2015.

During this period, he coordinated numerous tournaments, training programmes and public engagement initiatives across Sarawak.

He also announced plans to further strengthen KHA’s grassroots and development programmes by establishing a core technical support team to address the needs of coaches in schools across Kuching, Samarahan, Bau and Pedawan, alongside structured talent identification programmes for future umpires and technical officials.

— DayakDaily