The Sports for All Programme will get an RM299 million shot in the arm in Budget 2020, including for rehabilitating and upgrading of overall sports facilities, Youth & Sports Complexes and Community Sports Complexes throughout the country.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said apart from that, RM179 million would be allocated for preparations for international sporting events such as the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Hanoi Sea Games 2021, including the development of paralympic athletes.

“RM45 million (will be allocated) for the National Football Development Programme, compared to the RM15 million in last year’s 2019 Budget,” he said when tabling Budget 2020 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Lim said to produce more world-class women athletes in future, the government would be allocating RM10 million for the purpose.

“The sportswomen in our country such as Nicol David (squash) , Pandelela Rinong (diving) and Farah Ann Abdul Hadi (gymnastics) have succeeded at the highest levels and made Malaysians proud,” he said.

He added that the government will continue to intensify youth development programmes with an allocation of RM138 million for the Youth Power Club (YPC), Malaysia Future Leaders School (MFLS) and volunteerism initiatives

- Bernama