KUALA LUMPUR – The Youth and Sports Ministry cannot provide financial rewards to all achieving sports due to its slashed budget in 2022, said its deputy minister.
Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said the ministry cannot give more aid to all gold medallists from every sport as the focus is on core sports.
“The ministry will need to consider certain factors such as competitiveness and whether the sport is recognised internationally.
“If given the opportunity, we want to support every sport to the best of our abilities, but with the current budget, it is not easy,” he told reporters at Wisma MCA today during a meeting with chess fide master Poh Yu Tian and international master Yeoh Li Tian.
Lian Ker acknowledged the encouraging development and potential of chess in Malaysia with 13-year-old Yu Tian’s triumph over a 64-year-old grandmaster at the recently concluded Chess Olympiad in Chennai.
“Unfortunately, chess has not reached the level of a core sport such as football, hockey, and badminton.
“Maybe we can provide more financial allocation for chess in the ministry’s budget proposal next year. Right now, the ministry works according to the structure and budget allocated for this year,” he said.
Lian Ker said the ministry is aware of the challenges the Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) faces in securing funds to develop the sport.
Since every sport has different needs and requirements, Lian Ker said, the ministry intends to have more dialogues with the national chess body and the respective clubs in order to have a better and clearer understanding of the challenges.
Lian Ker suggested that Malaysia host higher-level chess competitions to elevate the standard of its players.
Meanwhile, Yu Tian and Li Tian were each awarded RM2,000 as a token of appreciation for their contributions to Malaysian chess.
Li Tian, 22, is currently the country’s top chess player and is ranked in the top 100 in Asia. He won the international master title at the age of 17 and is set to be Malaysia’s first grandmaster.
To be a grandmaster, a player needs to have won three “title norms” and Li Tian currently has won two titles.
“I do not know if I will be the first Malaysian to be a grandmaster. Maybe Yu Tian will beat me to it. But I am aiming to get the title within the next three years,” he said.
Meanwhile, MCF general secretary Najib Abdul Wahad echoed the deputy minister in saying that chess should get additional funding as travelling for international tournaments can become costly.
“High-level competitions are held for up to nine days. The costs for a player and coach are high.
“We hope for more support from the ministry as we want to elevate our players on to the world stage. This way, it can help attract more fans to watch chess,” he said. – The Vibes, August 24, 2022
