KUCHING: The Sarawak Sports Complex located in Petra Jaya will remain a vibrant hub for athletes and the public, not a “sleeping” facility.
Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the state is committed to creating a dynamic sports environment for both competitive athletes and the community.
“The Sarawak Sports Complex, just for your information, the land that had been allocated for the police has already been taken back by the state,” he said.
Sarawak has reclaimed around 68 acres in Petra Jaya, originally set aside for a Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) training facility, to allow for the construction of a velodrome.
“We will be building a velodrome there. The total acreage is about 67 to 68 acres, combining two parcels of land. This allows for quite a number of new sports facilities.
“Even now, it is the largest sports complex in Malaysia in a single location. Bukit Jalil is spread out, but ours are all in one place.
“For the SEA Games, the shooting range will be expanded by acquiring some private land on the fringe for skeet and trap shooting. There are many plans for this area, all dedicated to sports,” he told a press conference recently.
He stressed the importance of keeping the complex active and accessible.
“We don’t want to see a sleeping sports facility. We have seen how Australia manages it; the public uses the facilities during weekends. But it must be properly managed. It must be alive,” he said.
Abdul Karim added that access must extend beyond elite and competing athletes.
“As the Right Honourable Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, mentioned during the closing of the recent SUKSAR (Sarawak Games), all these facilities that are being built must reach out to the ‘rakyat’ (people).
“We cannot build facilities only for elite athletes representing Sarawak. The public must also have access, but care must be taken to look after them, whether in the Sarawak Sports Complex or elsewhere,” he added.
