Sukma: Lucky 13 for Brunei?

7th May 2010
The Brunei Times


THIRTEEN may be an unlucky number to many but Brunei is banking on it to win medals at the Malaysia Games with the Sultanate confirming that it will compete in 13 sports at the June 10-19 tournament.

Hj Md Rosfazilah Hj Yusly, the Chief Secretariat of the Brunei contingent, yesterday revealed to The Brunei Times the 13 sports Brunei would be competing in.

"I can confirm the 13 sports that Brunei will be participating in at Sukma are bowling, silat, sepak takraw, fencing, petanque, karate, tennis, squash, athletics, cycling, badminton, wushu and aquatics," Hj Md Rosfadzilah said when contacted.

However, the Sultanate has yet to decide the number of athletes to be registered for each sport.

On Monday, Pg Sabri Pg Hj Mohamad, the Deputy Director of the Youth and Sports Department, announced to the Press that Brunei will be sending 75 athletes to Melaka. Talking on the sidelines of the "Jom Ke Melaka" roadshow held at the Gold Stone Ballroom of the Centrepoint Hotel in Gadong, he added that the Brunei contingent would total 113.

Hopefully the number 13 will not prove to be unlucky for Brunei, but will instead help improve on their dismal performance in the last Games. Made up of 89 athletes and officials, Brunei returned with only two silver medals after competing in nine sports at the 12th edition of Sukma in Terengganu two years ago.

The medals were delivered by karate's Md Nabil Abd Malik and Md Jamil Hj Abd Hamid who won silver in the men's kumite below 70kg category and the men's kumite 80kg and above category respectively.

Brunei is hoping a bigger contingent will translate into a better outing this year.

The Bruneians will be among the 9,000 athletes vying for 434 gold, 434 silver and 542 bronze medals offered at the Games.

The Brunei contingent, however, will have to do that without the services of 2008 silver medallist Md Jamil, who was 22 in 2008. On the other hand, fellow karateka Md Nabil, who was 20 during the Terengganu Games, could still probably make the cut.

National shuttler Md Sheril Shahizwan could also get a ticket to Melaka. Currently competing in the Yang Amat Mulia Pg Indera Mahkota Pg (Dr) Kamaluddin Al-Haj Badminton Championship Cup, Department of Youth and Sports badminton scheme coach Wahab Moksin is using the event as a build-up tournament for the Games.

Wahab has high expectations of his charges and the 17-year-old shuttler is currently meeting them. Md Sheril will be able to impress his coach further if he makes the final at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas today.

Md Sheril will meet national player Jaspar Yu Woon Chai in the semi-finals today.

Silat is another sport where Brunei is expected to shine in Melaka. The national team have been training since December to prepare for the Games. Some 15 exponents were shortlisted in January by Mochamad Nasri, the national junior silat coach.

Aged between 17 and 21, they were selected based on their performances at the Youth Sports Festival (PSR) and the Brunei Darussalam National Silat Championships held last year.

Undoubtedly the return of the national fencers is the most anticipated of all after an absence of six years. In 2004, they finished with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals in Negri Sembilan. Except for one bronze medal in the men's epee team event, all of the other medals in 2004 came from the sabre events.

Their medal haul helped lead the Sultanate to its best performance in Sukma, bagging one gold, five silver and five bronze medals in Negri.

During a meeting on March 20, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports' national selection and evaluation committee agreed to support the participation of seven fencers as requested by the Brunei Darussalam Fencing Federation.

The seven fencers who could be shouldering the responsibility of recreating the 2004 feat are Ak Zaim Pg Idris, Hafizuddin Hj Awg Damit, Hafizzi Illah, Khairul Quddus Mohd Roalee, Muinuddin Hj Masri, Nur Adillah Affendy Agus and Rozana Zeze Mohd Roalee.

The same faces flew the flag for the country during the March 5-14 Asian Fencing Confederation Junior and Cadet in Pasig City, Manila, where they managed to top fencers from 15 Asian countries in the overall rankings.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Wednesday pledged to submit a bid to host the Sukma in 2014.

"I will hand over the task of bidding for the Sukma in 2014 to Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom," he said after receiving an official invitation for the 13th Sukma from Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Kuching, Sarawak, on Wednesday.

Abdul Taib said Sarawak was ready to host the Sukma for the second time because the Games was significant to the development of sports in the country as it helps to unearth talented young sportsmen and sportswomen.

He added that for the Sukma to hosted by Melaka, Sarawak would be sending 700 athletes and officials to participate in 29 of the 33 sports contested.

Sarawak hosted the third edition of the Sukma in 1990 and wrote a new chapter in its sporting history after becoming the first State to host the Games outside Kuala Lumpur as well as becoming the overall champions for the first time.

Mohd Ali said Melaka would fully support Sarawak's bid due to its ability to host mega events.