KUCHING: The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) presented Wong Ling Ching an incentive of RM10,000 following her recent gold medal win in the women’s singles badminton event at the recent Malaysia Games (SUKMA).
SBA president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain said her achievement is significant for badminton as Sarawak is ranked third, after Federal Territories and Selangor at SUKMA.
“I think this SUKMA has shown that we are now a new force to be reckoned with. Sarawak was a nobody in badminton before. The best we achieved previously maybe just the quarter-finals.
“But now, we managed to even get into the semi-finals in the mixed-doubles event,” he told a press conference at the Sarawak Badminton Association hall yesterday.
Abdul Aziz hoped that after Sarawak’s impressive performance at SUKMA and Ling Ching’s gold medal victory, the Sarawak State Sports Council will be able to provide better facilities and funding.
He thanked the sponsors for their support, which enabled the players to give their best.
Additionally, Abdul Aziz stressed the importance of competition exposure for better performance and experience.
“Exposure is very important, because if you just play among ourselves here, there’s no way we can improve very much,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ling Ching thanked the association and conveyed her happiness for representing Sarawak.
“I feel very happy and blessed to have the chance to represent Sarawak and take the gold. I targeted SUKMA since early this year,” she said.
Among those present at the press conference were SUKMA Sarawak team manager Ting Ching Zung and assistant coach Mohamad Razlan Shah.
