Sukma: Unfair to ask organising state to cover expenses, Yeoh says

States competing in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) cannot use financial constraints as an excuse to ask the organising state to cover part of the expenses, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.

“I think it is not fair and inconsiderate (to ask Sarawak to cover part of their expenses).

“I feel there is no need for a big allocation to send their contingents to Sarawak,” she said after attending a dinner with former athletes at a hotel in Taiping, Perak, yesterday.

She added that Sukma, which will be held from Aug 17-24, is necessary to ensure the country will not be short of talented young athletes.

On July 10, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor hoped Sarawak would bear part of the cost of sending his state’s contingent to Sukma to ease their burden.

Lack of participation

Yeoh said she was disappointed that many events involving women at this year’s Sukma were cancelled due to a lack of participation caused by financial difficulties.

“I am extremely disappointed and it has been studied in detail at a meeting previously.

“Many events from the list tabled (have been cancelled). To me, this is something that is not fair and will stunt the growth and progress of the young athletes,” she said.

On another development, Yeoh said her ministry has asked the National Sports Council (NSC) to create a national-level open-category sports championship by the end of this year.

She said the championship could use the Sukma organisational model as a basis to make it successful.

“Sports is for all. The ministry’s task is not only limited to athletes aged between 18 and 21. If you are aged 40 or 50 and still actively involved in sports, you still come under the ministry’s jurisdiction.

“So, I think this platform can be used by those aged, perhaps, from 30 to 50 to participate competitively,” she said, adding that the sports to be contested had yet to be discussed in detail.

- Bernama

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