KOTA ISKANDAR, 19 Sept – In a move that will benefit all stakeholders and the budding future athletes and hosts Johor, the postponed Malaysia Games (Sukma) will be now be held from April 2-10 next year.
However, the 20th edition of the Games will be held after the Para Sukma scheduled from March 8-13 due to several factors.The changes were decided after the Sukma XX Johor 2020 Supreme Committee meeting which was chaired by Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican at the in Kota Iskandar, on Saturday.
Topping the list of favors in the change of dates were the athletes themselves with 171 of them who will be sitting for their Malaysian Higher School Certificate examinations (STPM) from March 1-9, 2021.
With this in mind, the meeting was a unanimous decision for the changes in the multi-sport event – the first in Sukma since the inception of the Games in 1986 in Kuala Lumpur. For one it was done in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
“For the first time, Para Sukma will be organized first (March 8-13) followed by the 20th Sukma (April 2-10). We took into account several factors when decided on what was presented to us by the Johor Sukma Secretariat.“A final meeting on the confirmed dates will be held in December,” said Reezal who also led the delegation to visit several of the venues in Johor Bahru.
Johor Bahru will play host to 28 sports and is the main venue for the Games. Muar will host weightlifting, canoeing and silambam. Sailing and road cycling events will be held in Kota Tinggi.
The 20th Sukma is of special importance for the athletes who aim to find a place in the Malaysian contingent to next year’s Sea Games to be held in Vietnam.
For the record, the 20th Sukma Johor was earlier scheduled to be held in July this year but had to postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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