PSGB, USSSA forge cooperation to expand silat at international level

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Pertubuhan Seni Gayong Bersatu (PSGB) and the United States Sports Silat Association (USSSA) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand the Malay martial arts at the international level.

The MoU was signed by PSGB president Sheikh Shamsul Sheikh Salim and USSSA president Jacob Richter.

Sheikh Shamsul said the MoU would focus on knowledge sharing as well as cultural and student exchange programmes.

“We also plan to hold a boot camp here next year, so they (USSSA) will send their students here to train with our exponents for two weeks.

“I hope that with this effort, the seni gayong art of self-defence will grow further,” he said when met by Bernama at the PSGB medal of honour presentation here today.

Sheikh Shamsul also hoped that the initiative would be the start of similar cooperation with other world associations.

PSGB also signed a joint agreement with the United States Gayong Federation (USGF) that will see the latter become an affiliated member of PSGB.

Meanwhile, Richter viewed the collaboration with PSGB as a crucial point in USSSA’s efforts to introduce silat in the United States.

“Pencak silat is ‘Nusantara’, so it's one region, and the way that we can demonstrate it in the US is by including all ‘perguruan’ (teachings) or all family styles and so this is another example of how we demonstrate it.

“In South-east Asia, most people know what pencak silat is, in all of the west it's really not very popular yet but rapildy growing and soon (when) somebody sees it, they will love it. The idea of sharing back and forth is perhaps (why) we create a festival here and bring Americans to experience seni gayong or maybe others,” he said.

Seni Silat Gayong was founded by the late Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman and since the establishment of the Pertubuhan Seni Silat Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM) in 1963, silat has grown not only in Malaysia but also worldwide.

-- BERNAMA