SEPANG, Nov 28 ― The issue of no halal food supplied to the national contingent to the 2019 SEA Games only happens in Manila, but is not reported to be taking place at the sports village in Clark.
National Sports Council (MSN) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail explained that this took place because athletes competing in Manila were placed in hotels compared to the sports village in Clark.
“Many problems took place in Manila because of the hotels. The halal food issues no longer crop up in the sports village now. But the hotels are also catching up on halal food. There is progress but we are still supplying (the athletes) with fast food packs from Brahim’s.
“It meets the Malaysian taste. They have a choice whether to opt for the food supplied by the organiser or Brahim’s. If the organiser still have problems linked to halal food, it should be settled by Nov 28 (today),” he said at a ceremony to send the Malaysia contingent to the 2019 SEA Games at the KL International Airport (KLIA).
On Wednesday, the media reported that 500 big boxes of Brahim’s food packs were specially flown to the Philippines to meet the need of the national athletes and officials during the biennial event.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the national contingent chief to the 2019 SEA Games, Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin and his two deputies, Ahmad Faedzal Md Ramli and Nurul Huda Abdullah carried out their duties pro-actively in looking after the welfare of the athletes and officials.
“The officers of the National Sports Council (MSN) and National Sports Institute (ISN) are also there. We have a Plan B over the food problem. Brahim’s is also helping to ensure the athletes’ food is looked after.
“We are monitoring very closely, and if this sort of problem crops up, we will use the existing channel to lodge a complaint.
“Namely, through the contingent chief. We have expressed some concern but for now we only want to ensure the welfare of the athletes are looked after as best as possible,” he said.
Other than the problem of halal food, it is understood that numerous complaints were forwarded including concerning transportation and accommodation other than construction works which were allegedly still being carried out at several locations. ― Bernama
