State government will give full and unwavering support to tenpin bowling

Manyin (third right) with Sunny (second right) and the triumphant 18th Sukma state bowlers yesterday.

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has assured that the Sarawak government, Sarawak Sports Corporation and Sarawak State Sports Council will give full and unwavering support for the continuous success and progress of tenpin bowling in Sarawak.

He noted that Amateuer Tenpin Bowling Association of Sarawak (Abas) has attained numerous achievements and achieved milestones over the last 28 years since its formation.

He pointed out that under the association (which won best association award in Sarawak in 2009), many state bowlers namely Jackson Ting, Tang Joh Six, Jackie Ting, Jonathan Lim, Jacqueline Sijore, Isaac Russell Paul and Ervin Lim had won national and international honours.

The Sarawak bowling team also emerged overall champions for the sport in the 2010 Sukma in Melaka with seven gold medals, 2014 Sukma in Perlis with six gold medals and 2016 Sukma in Sarawak with 11 gold medals.

“By the final day (of Sukma 2016) on July 30 this year, Sengalang Sarawak tenpin bowling team had won 11 gold medals, four silver and one bronze medals out of 11 events. This was definitely a tremendous feat and is clearly a record which is next to impossibe to break. Nerosha Keligit, who won six gold medals out of six events, set a record which can only be equalled,” he noted in his text of speech read by Youth and Sports and Solidarity Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong at the opening of Megalanes Sarawak at Batu Kawa near here yesterday.

Winning medals aside, Adenan said he was left in awe by theWall (a newspaper cutting gallery) at the new bowling facility when he came to visit on July 27 during the recent Sukma competition.

He pointed out that the fact that ABAS is honouring those people who had committed to the sport of tenpin bowling in Sarawak at theWall is exemplary indeed, and he was touched by the recognition given to the late Datuk Taha Arriffin who was instrumental in making Sarawak a sports powerhouse.

“Needless to say, it brought back fond memories of the many events organised by ABAS which I attended. Moreover, it refreshed the words I imparted to ABAS when I was Minister of Social Development.

“In particular: ‘ABAS have always been able to put up a good show and I look forward to many successful events in Sarawak’. I recall having said that in 1996 and I can see that ABAS has taken my words literally,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abas president Sunny Si said the association will continue to develop more young people to become national and international winners, stressing that the state bowlers who had represented Sarawak are now also successful in their respective careers after leaving the sport. -TheBorneoPost