KUCHING: Sixty people with disabilities (OKU) from Mukah, Dalat, Matu and Daro community-based rehabilitation centres (PDKs) participated in a talent identification (TID) programme at Stadium Perpaduan Dalat in Mukah recently.
According to a press statement today, the event is an effort by Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry to introduce OKU sports to Sarawakians.
In addition, it is also aimed at providing opportunities for disabled people to engage in recreation and sports; to look for new blood in sports for OKU; to select disabled persons to represent the state in OKU sports in the future, as well as to foster a closer and inclusive relationship with the OKUs.
The two-day programme also saw the participation of students with special needs from SK Mukah, SK Sungai Ud, SMK Oya and SMK Dalat.
Among the sports that were held were swimming, athletics, badminton and table tennis.
“Compared to normal athletes, OKU athletes need to overcome their physical deficiencies such as visual and hearing impairments, upper or lower limbs impairment and intellectual disability,” the statement added.
Sarawak began to participate in the Malaysian Paralympic Games and the National Disabled Sports in 1984, and won the champion’s title in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
