Taken from DAILY EXPRESS NEWS

Tawau: The 9th Malaysia Games (Sukma) torch run began here Saturday on a long and winding journey which will end in Kota Kinabalu on Aug 30, the eve of National Day.

From here, the torch will be taken to more than 30 districts and sub-districts throughout the State.
In his speech at the launch of the torch run, Chief Minister Datuk Chong Kah Kiat said the run was unique because the torch would be taken up Southeast Asia's tallest mountain Mount Kinabalu on Aug 10.

The size and topographical features of Sabah had made this year's torch run particularly challenging, he said in his speech, which was read out by Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh.

Chong said a multi-event games like Sukma was a good avenue to promote unity in a multi-racial country like Malaysia.

Abdul Ghapur then led a group of local dignitaries in carrying the torch from the town field to the Municipal Council compound before it continued with its journey to Semporna District.

Abdul Ghapur told a news conference later that almost 7,000 athletes from throughout the country would participate in the biennial Games from Sept 5 to 14. The Games will also feature two invitational contingents - Brunei who will send 200 athletes and Australia's Northern Territory who will send between 50 and 100 athletes.

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