Tiang shares his views with (column inset, from top) Abang Hisham, Douglas and Abdul Taib during the virtual live chat.
SIBU (Sept 18): Political secretary to chief minister Michael Tiang has suggested Nangka Challenge Esports Committee and other similar groups to work together with Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) in utilising the council’s ‘Projek Rakyat’ (People’s Project) fund to promote esports across the five state constituencies here.
In proposing this, he also pointed out that the idea would require further discussions involving the committee and the SMC.
“This is just my idea.
“That way (working with SMC), they (esports groups) can apply for funding under ‘Projek Rakyat’ to organise and run esports competitions in Nangka, Pelawan, Dudong, Bawang Assan and Bukit Assek areas –perhaps starting with a small-scale event.
“I will need to discuss this with Nangka Challenge Esports Committee and SMC later,” Tiang told The Borneo Post when asked to clarify a point that he talked about during an online live chat on local esports on Thursday.
Tiang’s idea came after learning from Nangka Challenge Esport Committee deputy chairman Abang Hisham Abang Hashim about the challenges involved in promoting esports here in terms of investment, resources and sponsorships.
The chat was conducted via Nangka Challenge Esports Committee’s Facebook page, in connection with the ‘Malaysia Day 2021’s Special PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile Competition’.
Organised by Nangka Challenge Esports Committee in collaboration with Electronic Sports Association Sibu Division (SDESA), the online challenge drew 64 teams from all across Sarawak.
In the chat earlier, Tiang said on his part, he would promote esports amongst youths irrespective of their backgrounds, and to also bring up the esports development in Sibu to the attention to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“I think esports will become a mainstream sport in Sibu in times to come. We need to give support for the development of esports in Sibu,” he added.
Additionally, he had read about the possibility of International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include esports as an event at the 2028 Olympics.
“It would be a dream come true if Sibu could produce an Olympic gold medallist in esports.
“This is not impossible, with the state government stepping in to lend a helping hand in developing esports in Sibu.”
Tiang said with the state government now focusing on digital economy, he hoped that Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) would continue to look into the development of 5G technology to spur esports development here.
Nangka Challenge Esports Committee chairman Abdul Taib Rosli was the moderator for the online chat, where Batang Rajang Sports Association president Douglas Jefferson was among the participants.