KUALA LUMPUR: The government has assured that special consideration will be given to the Youth and Sports Ministry for the development of the country's sports industry.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this includes increasing allocation for programmes related to the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite the government experiencing financial constraints.
"The minister (Hannah Yeoh) has exhausted all her appeals (on allocations) and therefore, there is nothing to discuss on that tonight.
"However, this does not mean we are ending it (the allocations) just like that and if there is an opportunity, I believe that she will present it not only to me, but to the entire Cabinet and the Madani government.
"(And) I want to assure that if there is a need to elevate it (the proposals) despite financial and economic constraints, we will still give special attention (to these proposals) to further boost the industry," he said in his speech at the 2023 National Sports Awards held in National Sports Council, today.
Present were Yeoh and Deputy Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim.
At the same time, Anwar also stressed that while the government is focusing on strengthening the economy, the cultivation of interest towards sports must also be enhanced for the betterment of the people.
"We focus on empowering the economy and the culture of recreation and sports, but in all areas, we aim for excellence.
"We must cultivate an interest in sports and broaden the culture of recreation, which is also related to the health of the people.
"Meanwhile, in athletics, we need to focus on efforts towards excellence, and therefore, several proposals (to further cultivate interest in sports) submitted by the ministry in the Cabinet meeting are being given attention.
"We are indeed paying attention to this matter and making every effort because we do not take it lightly."