PUTRAJAYA, June 16 — Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he is ready to meet sports associations in Kuala Lumpur to discuss and find solutions to the issues or problems they are facing, such as in the use of sports facilities owned by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

"I am not very clear about the issues and problems faced by them, but DBKL is ready to give national and state associations, especially the ones in Kuala Lumpur, the priority to use facilities built and owned by DBKL.

"It’s just that they must do it in a proper manner. Previously, some associations did not settle electric bills amounting to thousands of ringgit and they also did not maintain the facilities. But DBKL will remain friendly to all sports associations,” he told a press conference at the Federal Territory sports document exchange and incentive presentation ceremony today.

The KL Hockey Association (KLHA) is reported to have been told to vacate the KL Hockey Stadium while the KL Football Association (KLFA) still does not know if it can use the KL Football Stadium in Cheras as its home ground when its contract ends early next year.

The KL Badminton Association (KLBA), meanwhile, has asked DBKL to expedite the construction of the new stadium after the KL Badminton Stadium was torn down for development in 2017.

Earlier, Annuar presented cash incentives totalling RM93,700 to more than 40 athletes from 27 sports who won medals at the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines last December.

Athletes from the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan bagged almost half of the country’s 55 gold medals at the Games when they returned home with 23 golds, 11 silvers and 15 bronzes. — Bernama