Pakatan Sang Jati Dusun (PSJD) Veteran football players who won the Piala Dirgahayu of the Brunei Football Carnival Championship last week, were feted at a dinner held at Rumah Makan Lasung in Gadong on Friday evening.
Former deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Development Haji Mohd Lufti bin Abdullah, who is also a PSJD Veteran active player, presented a cash prize to the players.
PSJD Veteran assistant coach and player Ukoi bin Anam said the dinner was held in appreciation and in celebration of the team emerging as the champions of the Brunei Football Carnival held from August 16 to 18.
The gathering also served to gather other PSJD Veteran team members, who represented the team at championships and tournaments locally and abroad. On the background of PSJD, Ukoi said, “It is an association of the Dusun ethnic community established in the 70s. The association is active in sports, with football as one of the main events.”
PSJD players not only hail from the Tutong District, but also from the other three districts of the Sultanate, as well as Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia.
The majority of the players are ethnic Dusun, however the team also includes players who are Dusun-related families and friends.
“Over the past years, PSJD Veteran have been very active in football events through friendly matches as well as representing Brunei at seven-a-side and nine-a-side tournaments as guest teams invited by organisers in Malaysia, such as in Malacca, Selangor, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak,” Ukoi added. This year, the team has also been active on home ground, having won several championships including 50-year-olds and above category and nine-a-side tournaments organised by local veteran football associations.
Ukoi said, “We hope to maintain the current players we have while also scouting for talented and skilled players for the 40-year-olds category as most of our players are now aged 45 and above.”
Currently, the PSJD Veteran players are coached by former Tebuan player Nordin Tujoh, who made history in the Malaysia Premier League in 1999 and brought glory to the Sultanate when they were crowned the champions for the first time.
The dinner began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by brief remarks from Ukoi and the players being presented with the cash prize.
The BND7,000 cash prize for the champions was distributed among the players as well as others involved in the success. – Lyna Mohamad
