The Squash Racquet Association of Malaysia (SRAM) is committed to further intensify its development programme in order to produce more potential squash players in the future.

"The government has built squash courts in eight schools. The squash facilities are known as 'Pusat Latihan Daerah' and we are working with the Education Ministry and CIMB Foundation to deliver a squash programme not to the school but to the district.

"This is a major move for SRAM...with years of experience we had, we feel that we are able to do a first class development programme for the district. We believed that major talents will come out from this programme," said its president Huang Ying How.

However, he did not reveal the eight districts selected for the programme as the official launch of the programme will be held this month.

Huang noted that under the programme, SRAM would provide its expertise in training the teachers to become coaches.under the programme, SRAM would provide its expertise in training the teachers to become coaches.

Earlier, Huang and CIMB Foundation chief executive officer, Datuk Hamidah Naziadin launched the 2017 CIMB Junior Squash Development Programme.

"The CIMB Junior Squash Development Programme has been the cornerstone of Malaysia's squash activities for almost a decade.

"We are proud to see continued excellence from this programme and to note that almost all of them are representing Malaysia in various tournaments. They are the top players from the programme, which reflects our dedication and commitment in nurturing world class players," said Hamidah.

Since the inception in 2006, the CIMB Junior Squash Development Programme had benefitted more than 4,000 junior players.

At the ceremony today, the winner of the recent Asian Junior Girl's Team Championships in Hong Kong -- S.Sivasangari, Andrea Lee Jia Qi, Zoe Foo Yuk Han and Aifa Azman -- received a token of RM10,000 from CIMB Foundation for their feat.

Meanwhile the boy's team comprisig Darren Rahul Pragasam, Wong Sai Hung, Mohd Farez Izwan Mohd Mukhtar and Mohd Hafiz Zhafri Abdul Harif, who emerged as the runner-up of the tournament, received RM5,000. - BERNAMA