DALAM merealisasikan sasaran untuk muncul juara keseluruhan Sukan SEA ke-29, YB Brig Jen Khairy Jamaluddin bukan sahaja berterusan meransang semangat juang atlet, tetapi juga membakar semangat 13,000 sukarelawan WAU Factor yang akan terbabit secara langsung dalam menjayakan penganjuran KL2017.
Pada Himpunan Sukarelawan KL2017 yang berlangsung di Stadium Hoki Bukit Jalil pada Ahad (6 Ogos 2017), Menteri Belia dan Sukan merangkap Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengelola Malaysia (MASOC) itu terus melonjakkan semangat “Bangkit Bersama” yang menjadi teras menentukan kejayaan pada temasya dwitahunan yang bermula 19 Ogos ini.
Sukan SEA KL2017 berlangsung dari 19 hingga 30 Ogos tetapi bagi sesetengah sukan termasuk bola sepak dan bola jaring, saingan bermula seawal 14 Ogos ini.
Seramai kira-kira 5,000 ‘Duta Kecil Malaysia’ yang terdiri daripada 13,000 sukarelawan yang telah dipilih sebagai anggota WAU Factor hadir pada himpunan berkenaan. Dari yang berusia semuda 16 tahun hinggalah kepada 80 tahun, para Sukarelawan nyata sudah siap sedia untuk turut “berjuang”. Â
Ketika memberikan amanatnya, YB Brig Jen Khairy mahu sukarelawan sentiasa bersikap proaktif dan responsif, rajin membantu, berdisiplin tinggi, mengutamakan keselamatan serta berpengetahuan mengenai KL2017.
YAB Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, menurut YB Brig Jen Khairy, telah menyatakan rasa puas hati terhadap persiapan negara menjelang KL2017.
Himpunan turut dihadiri barisan atlet negara yang akan berjuang pada KL2017 termasuk atlet bowling Syaidatul Afifah dan Muhd Rafiq Ismail, Sivasangari Subramaniam (skuasy), bintang pecut negara Khairul Hafiz Jantan (olahraga), jaguh lempar cakera Irfan Shamsuddin, pesilat Muhd Al Jufferi Jamari dan atlet Para negara Latif Romly (lompat jauh).
Sukarelawan Wau Factor dipilih dari pelbagai lapisan masyarakat yang berminat menyumbang bakti menjayakan KL2017 tanpa mengira habuan dan ganjaran.
WAU FACTOR VOLUNTEERS ALL FIRED UP
KL2017 WAU Factor volunteers need to equip themselves with complete knowledge on the Games and be proactive in carrying out their duties to ensure the smooth organisation of the 29th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur 2017.
Youth and Sports Minister, YB Brig Gen Khairy Jamaluddin on Sunday (6 Aug 2017) reminded Games volunteers to carry out their responsibilities in the best possible manner and most importantly, equip themselves with good knowledge of the Games.
Some 5,000 WAU Factor volunteers gathered at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, all fired up to play their part in helping towards making the KL Games as the best ever. Malaysia is hosting the Games after a lapse of 16 years.
Most importantly, YB Brig Gen Khairy said, volunteers need to continuously be responsive, helpful, possess high level of discipline, ensure safety at all times, adopt green initiatives, be informative and hospitable.
The volunteers are regarded as “ambassadors” who need to project and protect the good name of the country throughout the course of the duties, he said.
The 5,000 WAU factors team members who attended the gathering are part of the 13,000 volunteers, with age ranging from 16 to 82 years old, who have been selected since last year via online applications.
Also present at the gathering were some of the country’s top sports personalities including national sprint king Khairul Hafiz Jantan, Irfan Shamsuddin (discuss), Syaidatul Afifah and Muhd Rafiq Ismail (bowling), Sivasangari Subramaniam (squasy), top silat exponent Muhd Al Jufferi Jamari and Paralympian Latif Romly (long jump)
MEANWHILE, when met, most of the volunteers were excited, eager and cannot wait for the Games action to begin.
For Engku Nasir Syed Mohamad, 58, volunteerism has always been an integral part of his life. He signed up as a Games maker during the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 2017 SEA Games will be his second outing as a volunteer. Â
“I can’t afford to miss being part of the 2017 Games as this could be my last Games as age is catching up with me. At least, I’ll have something good to write in my personal journal,” he said.
“I’m so excited and can’t wait for the Games to begin. It’s such a wonderful experience… even before the Games get underway, I’m able to meet and mix with my fellow volunteers from all walks of life and background,” said Engku Nasir.
For a shy person like 19 year-old Wongman Heng Suren, being a member of the WAU Factor team has helped him overcome his shyness. Â
A Form Six student at SMK Sungai Serdang, Heng Suren said being volunteer has turned him into a more confident person and better in making decisions. “The trainers and faciliators provided valuable guidance and constantly instill confidence in us. I’m more positive and confident of my abilities now,” he said.
