Sarawak contingent to IMAC 2026, bring the art of bronze to the international stage

KUCHING, Oct 13: A total of 10 martial arts athletes from Sarawak will bring the state's traditional martial arts heritage to the 2026 International Martial Arts Contest (IMAC) hosted by the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU) in Chungju, South Korea.

Chief Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sarawak embraced Tupong Member of State Legislative Assembly (ADUN), Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman said that participation opens up opportunities for local athletes to learn and exchange experiences with martial arts practitioners from 19 countries.

According to him, the Sarawak contingent that participated in the tournament brought three Kuntau streams, namely Malay Kuntau, Iban Kuntau and Bidayuh Kuntau.

"Of course we can share knowledge and exchange views on martial arts. I hope they take this opportunity to bring new knowledge from other countries", he said as he met the media at the Sarawak Kunto Federation (SKF) contingent release ceremony to IMAC 2026 here, today.

The SKF contingent is headed by its President, Brother Ariffin Brother Bohan with a total of 23 members consisting of 10 athletes and support crew.

IMAC 2026 brings together 39 delegates of martial arts organizations with the expectation of participation of approximately 200 international participants, covering a wide range of disciplines such as silat, taekwondo, hapkido, wushu and other traditional martial arts.

The tournament was also held in conjunction with the International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage on 17 October, with the themes "Living Heritage: Traditional Martial Arts" and "Fit for Life" emphasizing the importance of physical activity as well as sports in community welfare.

"Competition ratings are very important as they inspire young people to learn martial arts, especially kung fu, in order to foster their interest in this traditional martial art heritage", he said.

Additionally, such international competition platforms also play a role in preserving the martial arts heritage as well as increasing youth interest in learning traditional martial arts.

He believes that international exposure can motivate young people to continue to hone their skills and participate in competitions at a higher level.

He hoped the participation of the Sarawak contingent could bring the state's name to international attention, as well as introduce the uniqueness of traditional martial arts in Sarawak to the world community. -TVS