"Better Than The Paris Olympics" — Malaysians Praise Sarawak's SUKMA Opening Ceremony
There were amazing performances, brilliant lighting, fireworks, and even a drone show!
By May Vin Ang — 19 Aug 2024, 04:20 PM
The 21st Malaysian Games (SUKMA) has kicked off with a spectacular start at its opening ceremony on Saturday, 17 August
The grand event, held at the Sarawak Stadium in Kuching, drew an enthusiastic crowd of 40,000 spectators.
This year's SUKMA Games, hosted by Sarawak, runs from 12 to 24 August.
The biennial national multi-sport event this year features 15 contingents and over 12,000 athletes from across Malaysia, including Brunei, competing for 488 gold medals across 37 sports.
The stadium came to life with breathtaking displays of lights, lasers, and colours, while over 1,800 performers orchestrated by the Sarawak Arts Council entertained the crowd and showed off the state's cultural heritage
A video of one of the performances shared on X by Astro Arena, shows performers playing drums while showcasing martial arts such as silat and wushu. Social media users compared the performance to the historic Beijing 2008 Olympics' opening ceremony.
The celebrations were further amplified by a brilliant fireworks display and an innovative drone show, as well as performances from top Malaysian artistes Faizal Tahir and Jaclyn Victor.
