KUCHING: Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has announced plans for a high-performance sports centre in Sarawak that is set to integrate sports science in its regime.
The centre, initially based at the Sarawak Sports Complex in Petra Jaya, will focus on factors like nutrition, muscle development, and environmental adaptation, moving beyond traditional physical repetition.
“Gone are the days when sports training was all about just repeating exercises,” Abdul Karim told reporters at the 2025 Sarawak Youth and Sports Grant Handover Ceremony at the Baitulmakmur Building II here today (Feb 10).
The idea was inspired by a study trip to South Korea last year, where nearly every district has a high-performance sports facility, inspired the initiative.
Abdul Karim acknowledged South Korea’s success in producing top athletes due to their robust sports science infrastructure.
“Slowly, we will also need to look into setting up similar centres in places like Sibu and Miri as we progress.
“However, without the right expertise, even if we build them, the facilities may end up becoming white elephants,” he added.
However, he stressed that the project will not be rushed.
“Without the right expertise, even if we build them, the facilities may end up becoming white elephants,” he cautioned, emphasising the need for skilled professionals to manage the centres.
Abdul Karim is hopeful that construction will begin this year, setting the groundwork for Sarawak to become a hub for sports excellence.
“Hopefully, we can get started this year. The building won’t be very large, but the important thing is what we put inside—the equipment and the tools needed to gauge performance.
“For example, if athletes are preparing for a competition in a location with temperatures around 20 degrees, there must be cubicles in the centre where they can train to acclimatise. It won’t be a massive building, but the equipment inside will be crucial,” he concluded.
