Sarawak and FC Barcelona eye MoU to elevate sporting endeavours

KUCHING (Jan 25): Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah hinted at a possible Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FC Barcelona and the state government to be inked “by March this year.”

The MoU seeks a collaboration with FC Barcelona to ramp up Sarawak’s sporting endeavours, particularly in football aiming to elevate the state’s sports scene to global standards.

This follows Abdul Karim’s working trip to Spain last October when he visited FC Barcelona to gain insights on Catalonia’s integrated ecosystem that intertwines sports, culture and tourism.

“During the trip to Barcelona we went to see the top management of FC Barcelona. I was very surprised that they want collaboration with Sarawak.

“Actually I have briefed Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) that they want collaboration. Actually they wanted to have some kind of MoU to be signed by March this year, kalau dapat (if possible).

“They are prepared to come over to assist not just in soccer but in other sports,” he said when speaking at Majlis Kesinambungan Budi, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development dinner, at a hotel here Friday night.

“Whether it’s in the sports sector, the youth sector, or other ministries, I think we have to place ourselves at a certain level to ensure that we live up to that impression of how global leaders now view us,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Abdul Karim highlighted the ministry’s achievements last year, citing the Bronze Award in the Sarawak Civil Service Quality Award, being listed as the ministry with the highest usage of the CACTUS system (for mail and registry management), as well as the successful organisation of its programmes and activities.

He also conferred the Excellent Service Award (APC) on 24 ministry staff members and presented appreciation awards to seven retirees and five transferring staff members. Also present were deputy ministers Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu and Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, and permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron.