SIBU: A Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate pledges to build an aquatic centre in Sibujaya if he wins in the 15th General Election (GE15).
"With this aquatic centre, I would like to see Sibujaya produce more Pandelela Rinongs," Wong Ching Yong (pic) said at a press conference on Thursday (Nov 10).
Wong is involved in a four-cornered fight for the Lanang seat. The other candidates include incumbent Alice Lau (DAP), Priscilla Lau (Parti Bumi Kenyalang) and an Independent candidate, Datuk Wong Tiing Kiong.
He added that the project consists of an olympic-sized swimming pool and a diving pool costing a total of RM50mil.
"The cost of the project is estimated by a consultant who is involved in constructing aquatic centres. This morning, I called up state Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurs Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah, and he said he would give due consideration and support for the project," said Wong.
He added that Sibujaya needs the project so that the residents do not have to go to the public swimming pool in Bukit Lima which is 25km away.
"There are between 38,000 to 40,000 people in Sibujaya. So if we have a swimming pool, they don't have to go all the way to the Bukit Lima swimming pool any more," he said.
"Sibu is one of the swimming powerhouses in the country with a lot of national swimmers. However, we do not have a diving pool of Olympic standards," said Wong.
