SUNGAILIAT – In celebration of PT Timah's 48th anniversary, the Engineering & Mine Support Division organized a Gaple and Chess Invitational Tournament between agencies and divisions in the Sungailiat area, held at Mess VIII on September 14-15, 2024.
The tournament attracted dozens of participants from various agencies, including the Naval Base (Lanal), the Bangka District Attorney's Office (Kejari Bangka), the Bangka Sports Committee (KONI Bangka), and PT Timah employees.
This event aimed to be a platform for fostering relationships to enhance synergy and collaboration with various PT Timah stakeholders.
The participants enthusiastically welcomed the tournament, with 60 pairs competing in gaple and nearly 40 participants in the chess competition.
Hendra Verison, Head of the Administration Section at the Bangka District Attorney's Office, said their agency sent representatives to participate in chess and gaple tournaments.
“This event is a great opportunity for us to gather and socialize, especially since such tournaments are rare. We can get to know each other while enjoying chess and gaple," he said.
He hoped the event could be held regularly or paired with a coffee morning, providing an informal platform for dialogue, feedback, and socializing.
Similarly, Lieutenant Syamsul Bahri from Lanal said that the gaple and chess invitational could help sharpen the skills of their talented personnel.
"This event is great for strengthening relationships between agencies. Hopefully, it can be improved in the future, and on PT Timah’s anniversary, we can continue to support one another,” he said.
Asmawi Ali, Chairperson of KONI Bangka Regency, also expressed his wish for such events to be held regularly, noting that gaple is a popular game with many enthusiasts.
"This gaple competition serves as a way to socialize and improve skills. It also entertains the challenges faced by the community. Playing gaple can provide a bit of relief during these tough times,” he added.
He emphasized that events like this should be promoted consistently to become something the community looks forward to.
“The size of the tournament doesn’t matter, but its continuity. This is an event that the community will eagerly anticipate,” he remarked.
Septiadi Irawan, a representative from PT Timah’s Engineering & Mine Support Division, stated that gaple and chess are popular sports.
“We hope this tournament will strengthen relationships, facilitate the exchange of ideas, and foster more synergistic communication,” he said.
He added that PT Timah collaborates with various parties, including local governments, the district attorney’s office, law enforcement, and other agencies, in its business operations. Through this tournament, they aim to enhance synergy and collaboration further.
“There are 60 pairs in the gaple competition, and nearly 40 participants in chess. We hope this tournament will bring positive impacts to all of us,” he concluded. (*)
