The government will build a 'sports excellence academy' for Malaysian athletes in the outskirts of London, which reportedly could cost nearly half a billion ringgit.

In a parliamentary written reply to Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) today, Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said revealed that a cabinet committee on sports development has, in principle, given the go ahead for the project.

The proposed academy will be located in Hertfordshire.

"The main purpose to build the academy in Europe is not only to allow our athletes and national teams to adapt to the cold weather. It is also in line with our strategy to make them (Malaysian athletes) closer to countries that excel in sports," said the minister.

By being closer to their more advanced foreign counterparts, Malaysian athletes will be able to experience the 'technology and expertise'.

However, Azalina's reply did not state when the cabinet committee made the decision. The 15-member committee is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

RM490 million?

In late May, Straits Times Singapore (STS) reported that the academy could cost RM490 million. Quoting unnamed Malaysian government sources, it said the academy will be sited on a 17.8 ha piece of prime real estate owned by a Malaysian research agency in Hertfordshire.

The research facility owned by the Malaysia Rubber Board is known as the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (Tarrc). It houses a large administration building, laboratories, unused stables, a chapel and a house surrounded by a moat.

The centre was named in honour of Najib's late father, who was also Malaysia's second prime minister.

Azalina, in her reply, said the cost for the project had yet to finalised as the matter was still in the preliminary stages.

However, she confirmed that the site owned by Tarrc had been identified as the ideal location because it was a government-owned land in London and served as a gateway to other European countries.

"The academy will be a short-term training centre and can serve as the 'forward base' for Malaysian athletes who will be competing in Europe," she explained.

"The academy is located near the 2012 London Olympic Village and we believe if we manage the academy well, we will get a return equal to our investment," she added.

The STS report quoted several sports specialists and government officials arguing that the project was too extravagant and its maintenance would be a major drain on the country's sporting budget.

They were also concerned over the lack of transparency over the project.

The report also claimed that the project was being actively promoted by one Muralee Menon, who was described as having close ties with Najib.