Muruks rescued

By HENRY MORABANG
THE Southern Highlands provincial government through Governor Anderson Agiru last night committed K600,000 to the Mendi Muruks and Hela Wigmen for their 2012 Digicel Cup campaigns.
Agiru told rugby league fans that SHPG would back the two franchises with K300,000 each.
He also called on PNGNRL chief executive officer Hubert Warupi and the PNGRFL executives not to press the panic button but they have to get to the right people before making public statements concerning the country’s most important competition.
Structural Bridging System (SBS) has been Mendi Muruks’ major sponsor for seven years but SHPG had also played a supporting role.
Last year, SHPG was the major sponsor for the Wigmen while Tom Higgins’ SBS was the sole supporter of the Muruks.
Agiru said that apart from funding both teams, K2.5 million had been spent on upgrading Tente Oval and another K5 million for the redevelopment of the Joe Keviame grand stand at Tente.
He also called for the developers and contractors of the LNG project to support the two teams.
“The Wigman and Muruks are flagships of the province and it would be good if companies involved in the LNG project as well as others in the province backed the teams.”
Attempts to contact PNGNRL CEO Warupi on Agiru’s statement last night were unsuccessful.