IPOH: The inaugural e-sports tournament held in conjunction with the 2023 National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen's Day (HPPNK) attracted the participation of 150 participants from 30 teams nationwide.
National Farmers' Association (Nafas) general manager, Muhammad Faris Arriffin, said the three-day tournament, which began today (November 10), will see the teams competing in the popular e-sports game Mobile Legends offering a total prize of RM10,000.
"The prize money is one of the main attractions in drawing the participation of teams not just from Perak but from other states as well. Some of the teams taking part have contested in other state and national-level competitions before," he said when met at the Agro Milinea booth at the Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout here today (November 10).
He added that the tournament is indirectly aimed at attracting the presence of youth to learn more about the agricultural sector, in addition to encouraging their participation to become members of Nafas, the National Fishermen's Association (Nekmat) and so on.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old participant Mohd Shahreezza Zainudin said he drove all the way from Lawin, Gerik, about 130 kilometres (km) from here, just to compete in the tournament after he and four other group members, known as 'The Last Minute', found out about the competition through Facebook.
Mohd Shahreezza said he has been active in e-sports since 2019 and often plays with friends for about three hours at night after work.
"I didn't expect this e-sports competition to be held in conjunction with the HPPNK 2023. It indirectly attracted young people like us to come here," he said.
Another participant, 18-year-old S. Shawn Jeremiah, of Tanjung Rambutan, said he has been interested in electronic sports since he was 11-years-old and often takes part in online competitions.
"I aspire to become a professional e-sports player because this sport can be turned into a career," he said.
The opening of the two-day tournament was officiated by Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin, who was presented with an e-sports jacket as a symbolic gesture of the official opening ceremony.
The tournament involves three sessions, with each lasting 15 to 20 minutes. – Bernama