KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — There is an allocation under Budget 2025 for the development of para athletes to ensure there is no dearth of new talents for future Games.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said, however, that the fund will not be dispersed directly to the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) and will, instead, be given to the parties involved such as the National Sports Council (NSC) and the National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN).
“Under Budget 2025, there is (para athlete development)... just that the money is not channelled to the PCM. However, it is channelled by the government through the JBSN and NSC.
“If the PCM want to carry out (para athlete development), they must find their own fund and not rely on the government to give them money. The government also does not give any money to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) (for athlete development),” she said when met at the flagging-off ceremony for the Walk for Health 2km Programme and Fight Against Cancer Campaign here today.
Earlier, PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin had expressed hope that the ministry would consider providing it with an allocation of RM15 million.
He said the allocation, to be distributed to the 25 national para sports associations, would be used for the development of athletes not under the NSC’s programme, especially for the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, the Walk for Health programme organised today involved 200 participants and aimed to raise awareness about breast cancer as well as to promote healthy living. — Bernama
