SMC chairman: Hold bigger sporting events here to put Sibu on world map

Ting (left) hands over a souvenir to Bobby Entarto Kurniawan. Looking on is Wei Ping.

SIBU (Aug 27): Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting has expressed his earnest hope in seeing bigger sporting events held here to promote Sibu.

He said he always looks into various ways and means to promote Sibu to the world.

“Hopefully, through bigger sporting events we will see more people coming from around the world, hence popularising Sibu on the world map,” he said.

Ting was speaking at the welcoming dinner for the World Chinese Badminton Federation (WCBF) Sibu Invitational Championship held Friday night.

For the four-day championship held at SM Catholic High here, a total of 350 players from Singapore, Macau, Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia are participating.

The players will vie in 17 categories, including groups from Under-39 to combined age of 140 years or more in doubles, parent-and-child doubles as well as husband-and-wife doubles.

Only the Men’s Open, Women’s Open and Mixed Open categories carry a prize money of RM2,000 for the winner and RM1,200 for the first runner-ups while the rest of the categories will bring home medals and certificates.

Among the 350 players are three octogenarians — Tan Chen Fai from Sabah as well as Lam Ching and Lee Choi, both from Kuala Lumpur.

Also making a special appearance is Bobby Entarto Kurniawan, the former world champion, and Thomas Cupper from Indonesia.

Ting said he felt honoured to have so many players and visitors converging here for the event.

“Badminton player Bobby, whom I only saw in television during badminton matches, is also taking part in the championship and is now sitting in front of me. I feel so honoured,” he enthused.

Being an avid badminton player himself, Ting said he was still into playing badminton.

“During those days (the 2000s), the way of counting score was different to the current system. The game is a bit alien to me (now) but I still love playing badminton.”

He added seeing so many badminton players join the competition made him feel like returning to the drawing board.

He also hoped the participants will enjoy themselves and to return to Sibu when the competition is staged again.

“Sibu will always welcome you,” he said.

Also at the event was WCBF Sibu branch president Ting Wei Ping.