SMC chairman calls for more int’l events to be held in Sibu

SIBU (July 6): Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting called for more international events to be held in Sibu to promote the town.

He said he was happy over 500 players were here to take part in the Sarawak Invitational Masters Badminton Championship (SIMBC) despite it not being easy for those outside Sibu to come.

“This is a good start and such events will help put Sibu on the world map,” he said at the welcoming dinner for the players of the three-day championship being held at SM Catholic High.

Some of the players hail from Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, the United States of America and Malaysia.

Also present at the dinner were former Malaysian national badminton player Ong Ewe Hock, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching Raden Sigit Witjaksono, renowned Indonesian badminton player Bobby Ertanto Kurniawan and World Chinese Badminton Federation (WCBF) Sibu president Ting Wei Ping.

Clarence expressed his gratitude to Wei Ping for staging the event here.

“Thank you Wei Ping. Continue to organise the event and I will be here again to welcome all the players from around the world,” he added.

He also expressed his admiration for players in their 70s and 80s who continued to show their agility in playing their respective matches.

“I am only 65 but am nothing compared to those players who can still play so well despite being in their 70s and 80s,” he said.

Meanwhile, Raden in his brief remarks said the gathering was a good venue for players to get to know each other.

“It is not only a good platform for closer interaction in a more positive way but such event can also enhance better relationship and cooperation between Sibu and Indonesia and, for that matter, the rest of the world,” he said.

He also hoped such events could be staged more often in the future.

“Not only in Sibu, but preferable also in Singkawan which is so close to Sarawak,” he added.

Meanwhile, Wei Ping expressed his appreciation to Youth and Sports Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah for giving the funds to enable the event to proceed.

He was also grateful to Raden, Ting and the WCBF Supreme Council for taking the time off to attend the event.

“Together, we can make the event a bigger success,” he said.