KUCHING: The Women and Family Department Sarawak and the state’s Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women and Childhood Development have published a book entitled “Sarawak Women In Sports”…. their achievements, nation’s pride.
A total of 42 sports personalities were recorded in the book with the aim of appreciating their contributions and noble efforts that has brought Sarawak’s name in the eyes of the world , not just at the national-level but even internationally.
Among these women athletes who had had brought fame to Sarawak’s name in the eyes of the world are Pandalela Rinong, Bibiana Ng Pei Chin, Hairunnizam binti Kipli, Nabilah bt Haji Ahmad Sharif, Tania Hamid Bugo, Jacqueline Jenelee Sijore and Grace Wong Xiu Mei.
Of the 42 sport personalities, 23 of them were able to attend the Majlis Apresiasi Personaliti Buku “Sarawak Women In Sports”…. their achievement s, nation’s pride, which was officiated by Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Children Development at Penview Inn here yesterday.
The six categories of sports that are featured in the book include Athletes: (a) Field ( b) Tracks; Swimming/Diving; Combat Sports, Gymnastics; Invasion Sports, Racket/Net Sports and Target Sports.
Fatimah in her speech said there are many more that could not be included in the book and the 42 sport personalities featured in the books were those that were able to be contacted and interviewed.
“There are many others that could not be included in the book and that doesn’t mean that we have favouritism, no. There are many others and it is the same with other books that we had published before this. So we see that, one day we have to do another round,” she said.
Fatimah said the success of women in the field of sports was the result of the support of the parents, the coaches as well as the various agencies in Sarawak. She said the involvement of Sarawak’s women in the field Sports were also comparable with the male athletes, be they disabled or able.
She said the sacrifices and difficulties faced by the athletes were very much appreciated.
When it comes to sports and even any other areas, each and every one can actually excel not only at state level but also outside the country, she said.
“All of you have actually made us proud. Your achievement is our pride and our nation’s pride,” she added.
Fatimah hoped the book would be an inspiration to those who read through its pages.
“We have to document the achievements of our women in sports in the form of a book so that it will be an inspiration to those who read it and serve as reference to the future generation,” she said.
“It will be there immortalised and it will be there forever and ever,” she said.
Meanwhile, former table tennis player Yip Pau Cheng, 59, who was in the national team for almost 10 years from 1973-1982 when asked about herself being one of the 42 women featured in the book said she felt very happy and proud of herself.
“I feel vey happy and I feel very proud of myself also. After all these many years I had gone through a lot of hardship, and a lot of travelling. At last now our state government has recognised our achievement. This will be very great,” she said.
On her advice to the younger generation, she said, one’s involvement in sport beside being very good for health, it also provides good opportunities to represent the state and country.
“In sports, we have to discipline ourselves and go through a lot of hardship, and have to work very hard. You cannot depend on others. All successful achievements must have self-discipline. That is my advice to the youngsters,” she said.
Yip had represented Malaysia at 1st Asian-African-Latin America Table Tennis Championship 1973, Beijing China (Bronze Medal – Girls Singles), ASEAN Table Tennis Championship 1974, Bandung, Indonesia (Silver Medal – Women’s Team Event), 1st South-East-Asia Youth Table Tennis Championship 1976, Singapore (Silver Medal – Singles Doubles & Team Event), (Bronze Medal – Mixed Doubles), 10th SEA Games 1979, Jakarta, Indonesia (Bronze Medal- Team Event), 11th SEA Games 1981, Manila, Philippines (Bronze Medal – Doubles & Team Event).
The book will be officially launched by the Chief Minister at the Women’s Day Celebration 2017 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on 26 August.
