KUANTAN: The Pahang government has set aside RM8.2 million to assist some 1,000 athletes in the state who are interested in entrepreneurship.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the sports industry did not only revolve around management but the retail and marketing sector as well.
"The Pahang government wants to assist our athletes to venture into entrepreneurship and those who are interested will receive the required help. We have allocated RM8.2 million to help some 1,000 active sportsmen and sportswomen.
"We will not provide a large sum of cash although that would depend on the case. Athletes might have different fields of interest but for those who are ready to be involved in entrepreneurship activities, we are here to help," he told reporters after handing RM300 cash aid under the Pahang Pride Athlete programme to 1,000 athletes at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Silver Jubilee Hall here today.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the one-off RM300 cash aid totalling RM300,000 was to 1,000 athletes who had taken centre stage and brought honour to the state.
"The Pahang Pride Athlete programme is to honour individuals for their dedication and valuable contributions in the field of sports. The state government has allocated more than RM11 million this year by organising various programmes, providing initiatives including the Pahang Pride Athlete programme," he said.
He said to help Pahang emerge as a powerhouse in sports, the Pahang Sports Council and Universiti Malaysia Pahang sports centre had signed a certificate of collaboration whereby the latter would rovide the necessary expertise and advice.
"The collaboration will help produce professional athletes and allow both organisations to jointly cooperate for the development of sports and the use of sports facilities. We will look into the possibility of our athletes continuing their studies in selected courses at UMP," he said.
During the event, Wan Rosdy announced that a golf academy will operate at the Royal Pahang Golf Club, the setting up of an e-sport academy at the Pahang Sports Complex (Sukpa) in Indera Mahkota and plans to launch a book on prominent Pahang-born athletes.