MIRI (THE BORNEO POST) – Miri has been chosen to host the inaugural Borneo International Robot Tournament (IRT), scheduled to be held at the Meritz Hotel from May 8 to 11.
Organised jointly by SMK Chung Hua Miri and Sasbadi Learning Solution, with the support of the Ministry of Education (MoE), the event is expected to draw more than 190 teams, comprising over 570 participants from Malaysia and abroad.
The tournament was officially launched at SMK Chung Hua Miri, with Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I Datuk Sebastian Ting expressing his pride in seeing the school, known as one of the best secondary schools in Miri, take on the challenge of organising such a significant event.
“This tournament represents a significant milestone in the promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and international cooperation,” he said.
Aside from stimulating students’ interest in STEM fields, the tournament aims to enhance critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among participants.
Ting also noted the potential of the event to boost Sarawak’s tourism industry, highlighting the global ties that could be forged through the participation of teams from Macau, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with potential entries from Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.
One of the event’s highlights will be the International Robot Lego Education SPIKE Prime Programming Conference.
Three renowned international robotic coaches, who have led teams to victory in the World Robot Olympiad, will conduct a sharing session, providing valuable insights to all participating teams.
Mayor Adam Yii, represented by his special aide Kelvin Hii, expressed his enthusiasm for the event, which coincides with the Miri May Fest.
Yii hoped that participants would not only enjoy the competition but also take the opportunity to explore Miri and promote the city to the world.
Registration for the tournament is currently open for four categories: elementary group (ages 9 to 12), lower secondary level (ages 13 to 15), upper secondary level (ages 16 to 18), and the robot sports group (ages 11 to 18).
Each category is limited to 48 teams, with each team comprising one mentor and two players.
