KUCHING: The Borneo Games 2025 begins with an opening ceremony at Stadium Perpaduan here on Wednesday (Sept 24), reviving a sporting event that was last held in 2013.
Over 1,000 athletes and officials from Sarawak, Sabah, Labuan, Brunei and East Kalimantan are took part in the Games, which ended on Sunday (Sept 28).
State Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said 124 medals were available across five main sports: athletics, swimming, badminton, lawn bowls, and archery.
He said Sarawak had not set a target for gold medals in the Games.
"We're happy to be able to hold the Borneo Games again.
"We're not looking so much at winning. What's important is that the Games are a success and we can strengthen our friendship with one another," he told reporters after the opening ceremony.
Abdul Karim also stated that the Games would be held every two years, with the next host to be determined before the end of the current Games.
He said it was up to the host state to decide whether to invite other states or countries beyond Borneo to take part in future editions.
"For this year's Games, we are limiting it to states and provinces on Borneo only, although two states in Peninsular Malaysia were interested in participating.
"Perhaps in future we can open it to them and even to other international territories as far as Australia and the Philippines," he said.
In his speech earlier, Abdul Karim said that hosting the Borneo Games would boost sports development in Sarawak, aligning with the state's aspirations to become a sports powerhouse in Malaysia.
He said the sports complex at Petra Jaya here was being expanded to accommodate more sports facilities, including a velodrome.
"At the same time, Borneo Games 2025 will be a training ground for Sarawak to co-host the 2027 SEA Games with Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor.
"A total of 16 sports will be held here, including swimming, shooting, tenpin bowling, taekwondo, tennis, squash and cricket," he said, adding that the SEA Games 2027 opening ceremony would also take place here.
Abdul Karim also said that the Borneo Games 2025 included two traditional sports: blowpipe and tug-of-war.
He said the events were non-competitive and aimed to showcase Borneo's cultural identity and heritage.
