KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has assured that the application for allocations by national sports associations (NSAs) from Budget 2023 will be done transparently.
Its Minister, Hannah Yeoh said the KBS would display all information on its website regarding the amount applied for and the programmes implemented by the NSAs based on the allocation provided.
“The budget (allocation of RM324 million) is also different because each sport has its own number of athletes and costs as well as differing amounts for grassroots development.
“To make it transparent, if an association seeks RM100,000, for example, then other associations can see (on the KBS website) what they have done with funds,“ she said when met by reporters at the Extreme Sports Carnival at the Bukit Kiara Rakan Muda Complex, here, today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling Budget 2023 at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, announced that the government has allocated RM324 million for sports development, upgrading sports facilities and enhancing training programmes for all athletes, including para athletes.
She also said that the KBS would ensure the provision of the RM50 million matching grant by the government under Budget 2023 would not be wasted and used in the best possible way for the country’s sports programmes.
The provision of the RM50 million fund is to encourage private sector sponsorship for sports programmes, especially unity-based sports, organisation of tournaments at the national level and reality sports programmes.
Hannah also confirmed that the RM20 million set aside for the construction of a drag circuit as announced during the Budget 2023 tabling by former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz last October had been dropped.
Meanwhile, Hannah said she will hold a meeting with the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) to identify ways to optimise the RM5 million funds channelled by the government to the foundation under Budget 2023.
She also gave an assurance that the ministry would not neglect any sport, including extreme sports, and that it would give equal treatment to all types of sports in the country.
“We will give equal chances to all athletes. If we see that extreme sport or rugby is successful and needs support, we will provide the backing and we will not sideline any type of sports,” she added.
She also pointed out that extreme sports had the potential to be developed but the KBS, Youth and Sports Department, local authorities and the relevant sports associations needed to sit down and discuss ways to find ample training venues.
Hannah also suggested that local authorities keen on developing the infrastructure for extreme sports to meet her and the associations involved to ensure the construction is done according to the stipulated specifications.
Meanwhile, the carnival, which is held to unearth new talents, aims to provide exposure to participants and visitors, especially in terms of safety and the importance of practising healthy lifestyles.
A total of four events are being contested at the two-day carnival, which began today, namely inline skating, skateboarding, BMX cycling and obstacle course while visitors can try their hands at several extreme sports activities like the push bike, roller skating, remote control car racing and drones. – Bernama