Efforts are being made to turn the annual Sibu Open Athletic Championship into an international event.
“Our long-term plan is to rename the competition Sibu International Athletic Championship.
“I am trying very hard to get people to chip in financially for the cause,” said Sibu Athletic Association president Dr Hii Sui Cheng.
Speaking at the association’s appreciation dinner, Dr Hii said state government support was needed to grow the event.
“I suggest that we hold our annual general meeting in April so that we can devise an action plan to apply for funds from the state government to meet the championship’s rising cost.”
As there were direct Sibu-Singapore flights and chartered flights between Sibu and China’s Fuzhou province, he said the event would be able to attract participants from the two countries.
Dr Hii also said that the association was seeking more sponsors.
“We have organised this event for the past 18 years.
“We started small and gradually invited corporate leaders to sponsor attractive prizes.
“Currently, we have five to six sponsored events with each requiring RM1,500.
“With more sponsorship, an event like this would attract more participants.”
This year’s championship would involve a cost of RM44,000, he said.
On the aim of the competition which attracts mostly students as participants, Dr Hii said it would act as an extra-curricular activity to complement their pursuit of knowledge.
At the function, Dr Hii presented certificates of appreciation to the event’s corporate sponsors. —By ANDY CHUA
