West Kalimantan opts out of Borneo Games due to budget efficiency drive

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Sept 18: West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat) will not be participating in the upcoming Borneo Games 2025 as part of its ongoing budget efficiency measures, says West Kalimantan State Secretary Dr Harisson Azroi.

“West Kalimantan will not take part in the Borneo Games because we are currently in a budget efficiency phase.

“Among the measures is limiting overseas travel,” he said in a statement today.

He was responding to media queries following Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s announcement yesterday (Sept 17) that West Kalimantan had pulled out of the regional sporting event.

Abdul Karim, when met by reporters after attending the Kuching Marathon 2025 race pack collection ceremony at Plaza Merdeka, explained that the Borneo Games, scheduled from Sept 24 to 28, will feature contingents from Sarawak, Sabah, Labuan, Brunei Darussalam and East Kalimantan (Kalimantan Timur).

“Somehow, due to unavoidable reasons, West Kalimantan cannot send their contingent.

“So, from Kalimantan, we will only have one province participating, which is East Kalimantan,” he said.

The minister added that the Games will see competitions in athletics, swimming, badminton, archery, lawn bowl, and a traditional sport, namely tug-of-war.

However, blowpipe has been dropped as an eventdue to lack of response from participating contingents. — DayakDaily

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