A delegation from local Esports Association of Brunei (ESB) clinched second in PUBG Mobile at the 2022 IEFS World Esports Championship in Bali, Indonesia recently, the sultanate’s highest finish in any international Esports tournament to date.
In an interview with MediaStar, ESB General Secretary Hawaii Yee shared that the latest achievement is another notch in ESB’s belt of success since the association was established in 2019.
Prior to the 2022 IEFS World Esports Championship, among ESB’s crowning accomplishments include placing third in the online PUBG Mobile Southeast Asia Tournament last year as well as placing third in the Razer SEA Invitational Tournament.
Yee noted the gradual progress of perception in the local Esports scene as the association has garnered support from not only the private sector in the form of sponsors, but from the government as well.
“It was also the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) who stepped in to help us by providing us a sort of grant to come up with our own facilities, so the e-athletes could have a proper physical training place,” he said.
“At the same time, there are also companies like the Progresif who gave us monetary support whenever we need to send our teams abroad or to organise tournaments; and they are also YouC1000 who continued to support us from then until today,” added Yee.
The General Secretary then noted how this latest achievement can only spell good things for the Esports scene and e-athletes in Brunei Darussalam, especially compared to the local Esports environment of the past, where support and sponsors were difficult to obtain.
“We were just trying our best to sustain our operation and give at least the best training and development structure for the e-athletes,” he continued.
With its new triumph at the 2022 IEFS World Esports Championship, only losing to Kazakhstan, the ESB is reinvigorated more than ever to motivate and train local e-athletes to carve their names in the global Esports scene and earning medals for Brunei Darussalam.
Yee went on to say how this goal can only be achieved with the support of fellow Bruneians, whether private or public, adding that the association is grateful to the companies that have supported them, providing the ESB the necessary funds and resources to develop local talents.
“So, I’d say even though it’s not that fast in terms of support, sponsors coming in, but it’s there. It’s got to start somewhere,” he added.
Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
MediaStar
