THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF MALAYSIA MASTERS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
FOR THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF MALAYSIA MASTERS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
14 August 2022
Azman Hashim Sports Complex
Universiti Sains Malaysia
YB Joseph Ng Soon Siang
ADUN Air Itam
Dato’ Seri Yeoh Cheng Bah
President of Penang Volleyball Association
Mr. Fong Hock Guan
Vice President of Penang Volleyball Association
Mr. Accakai Mahasri
Mayor of Hatyai Spirit Development Association
All participants, media friends
Ladies & Gentlemen
A very good afternoon to all of you.
The Malaysia Masters Volleyball Championship has reached its closing stage and I am sure it was a feast of bright unforgettable impressions and strong emotions for everyone here.
Volleyball is a game which requires strong teamwork and seamless collaboration. Moreover, it requires great sportsmanship, just like any other contact sports, to excel in this game. We have had everything – joy, happiness, and even disappointment – throughout this championship. This is what sports is all about. In fact, the same goes to the revival of our beloved state of Penang after the pain we have all been through in the past two years.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused great hardship to the lives and livelihood of individuals and families worldwide. Many among us lost their jobs and businesses, which had dire consequences on many families, affecting day-to-day interactions with family members and relationships as well as disrupting everything from one’s social life to daily activities.
Worse still, the isolation we faced as a community when various community spaces were either closed or operated under strict SOPs, which hindered the process of strengthening community relationships to foster a sense of connectivity. This happened to everyone at a time when we truly felt helpless and threatened by Covid-19 as well as financial worries.
Ladies & gentlemen,
As we now enter the post-pandemic era, we must revive what we have lost in Penang over the last two years. This is why I launched a new official slogan on 10th of June, “Love Penang”. “Love Penang” is a simple catchphrase but one with a GREAT positive impact.
When we talk about reviving Penang, it’s not just the economic aspect we must be concerned of. The well-being of our people and the community, as a whole, is just as important because the actions of our community can have far-reaching implications. In other words, to rebuild our economy, we must first and foremost love Penang and make it a better place for everyone.
Yes, Penang may have been scarred in the past two years. But the scars will heal through the joy of love in Penang starting from those closest to us at home, our extended family members, friends, business partners and even mere acquaintances.
Filled with the feeling of love and the resultant positive vibes, we can find strength to recover what we have lost and of course, also the much-needed strength to compete in the now concluded Malaysia Masters Volleyball Championship.
Ladies & gentlemen,
I would like to thank the Penang Volleyball Association, which is the organizer of today’s event, for inviting me for the closing ceremony. Your preparations for the games and hard work during the actual course of the competition and solemn events did not go unnoticed. I also greatly appreciate the judges for your impartiality and unprejudiced decisions.
And, of course, to all the volleyball teams from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and, of course, Malaysia that have participated, you have all shown great effort and sportsmanship!
With this, I declare the closing of the Malaysia Masters Volleyball Championship. I will certainly look forward to the next one.
Thank you and stay safe.