KUANTAN: Tengku Mahkota Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah today has proposed that chess be included as one of the events in the Malaysia Games (Sukma).
Tengku Abdullah, who is also Pahang Chess Association patron, said the move will pave the way for Malaysia to produce skillful chess players before it plans to bid on hosting an international tournament.
"Once chess is included in Sukma, it will be easier for the game to gain international recognition.
"To compete with international participants or host a competition, we need quality coaches and prepare good players.
"The Malaysian Chess Federation can assist by looking into efforts to include chess in Sukma," he said in his speech before opening the national-level chess tournament at MS Garden hotel here.
Also present were Olympic Council of Malaysia vice-president Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib and Pahang Chess Association president Hamidah Abdul Hamid.