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UMT To Have Biggest Sports Complex Among 20 IPTAs In Malaysia

By Zulhilmi Supaat

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- The RM45 million Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) sports complex when ready next year, would be the biggest sports facility among 20 Public Institutions of Higher Learning (IPTA) in the country.

UMT vice chancellor (Alumni and Student Affairs) Prof Dr Abdul Majid Mohd Isa said the sports complex would have various sporting facilities like squash, badminton courts and two Olympics size swimming pools for swimming and diving.

"Apart from the Sports Complex, UMT would also offer facilities for water sports like kayaking and scuba diving," he told Bernama here.

Dr Abdul said UMT that was set up primarily for Marine Science Research has also been given a special task by the Higher Learning Ministry to focus on three sports, namely scuba, kayaking and equestrian.

The special focus on the three sports would not mean that UMT will ignore other sports since UMT have a formidable futsal team that emerged winners in the Universities Sports Council of Malaysia Games (Masum), held in Sabah in May this year, he said.

He added that the UMT Sports Centre that started with three officers, now has 12 officers and for students who excel in sports, it would be a ticket for them to ensure a place in the hostel of the UMT campus.

Dr Abdul said UMT also has three back up players from the national futsal squad and two national rugby players pursuing their studies at UMT.

UMT added Dr Abdul would also sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Terengganu Taekwondo Association to absorb athletes who wished to continue their studies but were turned down by other IPTAs.

He said since last year UMT had also allocated a 20 percent quota for athletes born in Terengganu to pursue higher studies.

"As soon as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results were announced last year, our officers combed the state in search of students who excelled in both studies and sports and offered them places at UMT.

But since it was really difficult to find a big number with such qualities, we did provide some flexibility but the basic minimum requirement of 5 credits was not compromised," he said.

UMT initially started in 1978 as Pusat Perikanan Universiti Pertanian, now Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) before it was upgraded to Universiti Putra Malaysia Terengganu in 1996.

In 1999, it became College Universiti Terengganu and went through yet another name change, becoming College Universiti Science and technology Malaysia (Kustem) in 2001 before its inception as Universiti Malaysia Terengganu on Feb 1, 2007.

-- BERNAMA

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