KUCHING: Opportunities are given to people with disabilities to take part and pursue their interest in sports for the upcoming Special Olympics State Games 2018.
Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah stressed in a press conference yesterday that a new development for the Sports for People With Disabilities (PWD) will be established in order to have a proper structure and coordination of the sports and the people involved in the sports.
“We’ve come to an understanding that the sports for people with disabilities will be under our ministry and we are entrusted to develop, take care and prepare PWD for sports at state and national levels,” she said.
The ministry with the support of the Sarawak State Government will give opportunities to the PWD for them to be able to develop their talents, pursue their interests and to bring glory for themselves and for the state of Sarawak. The ministry will also be carrying out annual programmes and activities to empower the people with disabilities in recreation, sports and related careers.
The sports for PWD include Special Olympics Games, Deaflympic Games and Paralympic Games which will be funded by the Sarawak State Government biennially to prepare for the challenges.
The Special Olympic State Games 2018 is a game organised biennially at state level and is participated by Special Olympic chapters like Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
About 788 people will participate and volunteer in this game and it will be held from 17 to 20 August 2018 at University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Kota Samarahan.
The Special Olympic Games is funded by the Sarawak State Government and sponsored by Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry Malaysia (JACTIM) and Lea Sports Centre.
The Deaflympic Games will be held in Ipoh, Perak on 15 to 20 October 2018. Sarawak was ranked third in the medal tally with six gold medals in the last games which was held in Kuching, in October 2016.
Sarawak aims to improve the medals achieved to eight gold medals and the state plans to send 80 athletes and 38 officials to three deaflympic games which are badminton, ten pin bowling and track and field at the national meet this year.
The Paralympic Games will be held in Ipoh, Perak from 21 to 28 October 2018 where the state contingent will consist of 200 athletes and 115 officials as Sarawak was champion for 12 consecutive times, the state is gunning for the 13th Champion title with 85 gold medals.
