KUALA LUMPUR — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh detailed several government initiatives under Budget 2025, which are aimed at revitalising Malaysian sports, particularly football and hockey.
In her written response to Dungun MP Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli, who asked about efforts to revive the glory days of Malaysian football and hockey, Hannah confirmed that a large portion of the RM230 million allocated in the national budget will go towards development programmes of these sports as well as other core Olympic sports.
“The Finance Minister (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) confirmed that RM15 million allocated under Budget 2025 will focus on improving the performance and management of Malaysia’s national football teams (Harimau Malaya, Under-18, and Under-13).
“This funding will cover the appointment of a specialised technical team and provide opportunities for international-level training. The programme will also identify a team of professional coaches to manage phased training sessions and address players’ welfare, including support for heritage players.
“For other core Olympic sports, the government has approved new initiatives for eight disciplines: diving, badminton, cycling, archery, squash, shooting, weightlifting, and taekwondo.
“These efforts aim to enhance development programmes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“Athletics and swimming will also receive dedicated funding at district and state levels, with support for local sports clubs to increase grassroots participation.
“The government will continue funding the Podium Programme, alongside talent and grassroots programmes, to ensure core sports receive support across various levels,” said Hannah.
Addressing Malaysia’s hockey development, Hannah highlighted ongoing partnerships between the Ministry, National Sports Council (NSC), and the Ministry of Education (MoE) to strengthen hockey at the state level.
She said the National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP), which has received RM2.5 million annually since 2021, has facilitated training for 5,600 athletes under 224 coaches across 112 training centres nationwide.
Separately, Hannah said international competition opportunities, such as the Minarwan Cup involving teams from Japan, Korea, Australia, India, and South Africa, offer valuable exposure for players under 17, preparing them for the Under-21 Asian Junior Championship, which also serves as a qualifier for the Junior World Cup.
Meanwhile, she said NSC has allocated RM103.5 million to support the Podium, Talent, and Youth Programmes, covering nearly 53 sports, including 16 core sports, to prepare athletes for regional and international competitions.
“Additionally, RM25 million has been allocated to the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) and RM2.5 million for the Harimau Muda team, accounting for 26.5% of NSC’s total training programme budget.
Hannah also noted that RM886,400 was allocated to Terengganu’s State Sports Council to support training programmes in 17 sports, benefitting 716 athletes under the guidance of 32 coaches across 17 training centres in the state.
Regarding sports facilities, Hannah reiterated that the Ministry has no intention of building new mega projects. Instead, funds will be used to upgrade and refurbish existing KBS facilities. She also urged MPs to send in formal proposals to the ministry if they wish to be considered. – November 8, 2024
