THE Penang Rifle Club (PRC) has been promised new equipment to help the state athletes who are preparing for 20th Sukma (Malaysia Games).
The biennial Sukma, which was originally scheduled to be hosted in July this year by Johor, has been postponed to March next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
State Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee gave this assurance to PRC secretary Lim Toh Huan today when he visited the shooting range in Jalan Kebun Bunga, which is adjacent to the Botanic Gardens.
Soon, who was there to check on the facilities as well as the Sukma training under the new normal, said although shooting is not a popular sport, Penang does not want to be left behind.
“I understand our equipment, like rifles, pistols, jackets and shoes for training or competition, are lagging behind other states.
“They are about 15 years old. I’m here together with Harry Chai, our new Penang State Sports Council director, and I promise that my office and the state sports council will immediately help out the club.
“The new equipment should arrive in two months. The most important thing is to provide proper equipment to the athletes. This is a basic need for the development of the sport.
“If you don’t have the basic equipment, how are you going to train the athletes? We’ve a coach and an association ready to help out.”
Soon also appealed to parents whose young ones are interested to take up shooting to get in touch with the club or the state sports council so that more talents could be nurtured.
Lim, who was delighted to hear the good news, said the club has always been supportive of the development of the sport among the young trainees.
Also present were PRC president Datuk Seri Dr Kenny Ong and Sukma coach Faizah Ab Aziz.
Soon and Chai were briefed on the different types of rifles and pistols used at the clubhouse by Lim and Faizah and shown the 10m air rifle and air pistol facility on the upper floor of the building and the 50m air rifle prone and air gun facility on the ground level.
Faizah said she has currently 19 Sukma trainees, some of whom are from SMJK Heng Ee, SMK Hamid Khan, SMK Perempuan Sri Mutiara and SMK Convent Green Lane.
She said the Penang Sukma team started to prepare itself on June 11 with only physical training like cross-country runs and then progressed to shooting practices from June 16 as allowed under the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
One of the trainees who attended training today was Siti Zulaika Haira Rosman, a Form Three student of SMK Hamid Khan. She is aiming to qualify for a spot in the 50m air rifle prone event.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Law Suun Ting