KUALA LUMPUR – Although the sporting industry welcomed the government’s allocation of RM399 million for the sporting industry in the revised Budget 2023, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the allocation is not enough.
However, she said no ministry would say that the allocated budget is sufficient, but it is up to them to utilise the limited funds to further involve the public in developing the sports industry.
The Segambut MP said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s opening during the Budget 2023 yesterday stating that the nation is in RM1.5 trillion in debt cannot be separated from the budget, and why the private sector’s involvement is needed.
Speaking at the launch of the PSA WSF Satellite Series Tournament today, Yeoh said she discussed with the PM tax incentives for individuals and the private sector to support sports.
Yeoh said the majority of the complaints she has heard from athletes is the lack of tournaments, but national sports associations responded saying that it is costly to organise the events.
“I am very happy for the RM50 million in matching funds that was announced yesterday, but the conditions will still need to be finalised by the ministry.
“The idea is that half of the cost to organise a tournament comes from the private sector and the other half from the government…you can save half and organise another tournament, and double the amount of tournaments you have,” she said.
“Another complaint I hear is that there isn’t enough funding to send athletes for overseas tournaments.
“If we can’t go overseas, then we should have more tournaments here,” she said.
Yeoh added that tournaments such as the Satellite Series are an important platform for athletes to increase their rankings.
“Ace has interesting data showing how just one satellite tournament can help improve a player’s ranking.
“The matching grants will help the organisers, which, in turn, will not just help the athletes but also the economy,” she said.
Meanwhile, she also praised the RM5 million allocation for the National Athlete’s Welfare Foundation.
“We need this because we need to show that we can take care of our athletes…it is important so we can get former athletes the basic needs that they need.
“When I am sent videos of ex-athletes who are sick or not doing well financially, it gives the image that the government does not care about them.
“We want more athletes to join the industry, but parents pull them out because they think we will not take care of them when they retire,” Yeoh added.
She also mentioned the importance of collecting data from tournaments organised by the private sector, as it would make a strong case on how the government can work on making tournaments more affordable.
“Hopefully I am here for five years to reform the sports industry.
“I am not here just to focus on one sport, but to look at how I can sustain the sporting system,” she said.
Organised by Ace Sports and Management, the PSA WSF Satellite Series Tournament is 12 squash tournaments all over Malaysia for this year alone, attracting players from countries such as Japan, Korea, Egypt, and Singapore. – The Vibes, February 25, 2023
