Kota Kinabalu: Sabah College (Maktab Sabah) set another milestone in the development of rugby in the state with the establishment of the Sabah College Asrama Malaysia Rugby Academy (SCAMRA) officially launched at its premises here on Friday.
It is the brainchild of school principal, Suhaimi Basri, together with student affairs senior assistant Halmi @ Along Ghani and senior assistant for co-curriculum Siti Fatimah Rasimin.
Its target is to raise Sabah’s status as a major rugby development hub in the country by producing more young rugby players of national and international calibre.
SCAMRA patron Datuk Mohamad Arif Tun Sakaran said the academy is a continuation of previous programmes like the Sabah College Rugby Outreach Programme (SCROP) and Sabah College Girls Rugby Integration and the Internationalisation Programme (SCGRIIP) introduced in 2015.
“SCAMRA is developed with an inclusive approach, not only to maintain the excellence of the men’s team, but also to strengthen the women’s squad so that Sabah continues to be the catalyst for national rugby excellence,” he said.
He added that through collaboration with the Malaysian Rugby Union, Sabah State Education Department, District Education Office as well as the Sabah Lioness Rugby Club (women) and Sabah Osca Warriors Rugby Club (men), SCAMRA will implement the Talent Identification (TID) programme throughout Sabah.
According to him, their past programmes had successfully produced many internationals including Marytheresa Raj Thevaraj (Malaysia U-20 captain), Nurnatasya Esnadi (Asian U-21 silver medallist, Korea), and Annelie Lyokie Aloysius (Asian U-18 bronze medallist, Nepal).
Meanwhile, a total of 10 male and 10 female students have been identified to be placed in the Sabah College Malaysia Dormitory (AMAL) starting the 2025/2026 school session.
Also present at the launch ceremony were Malaysian Rugby Union vice president Abdul Rashid Adlie, chief assistant director of talent (student development sector) Dato Asrah Datu Ambas, Kota Kinabalu district education assistant district education officer (student development sector) Nordin Insan and Mohd Kamal Kakom Abdullah @ Zatin Kakom, deputy district education officer (student development sector) from Penampang district education office.
