WITH a population of 32.7 million, Malaysians spend approximately RM430 million on sports, outdoor activities and recreational games, according to the International Trade and Industry Ministry.
Notably, the sports industry's gross domestic sport product makes up approximately one per cent of the country's total gross domestic product.
While sports has been predominantly associated with the younger generation's participation in school, district, state, national and international competitions, the time is ripe to rekindle the assimilation of sports in all walks of life. In fact, the sports industry has huge potential in Malaysia due to its immense health benefits, entertainment value and socio-economic impact.
As important as education and income are for the young and the employed, respectively, sports is equally important for lifelong health. Sports, outdoor activities, and recreational games help keep our mind and body healthy, which undoubtedly translates to a better quality of life.
Sports and recreation should therefore be made mandatory beyond the school years. This can be done through the consolidated efforts of the Education Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Just as the nation witnessed all ministries coming together to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, it should see a similar endeavour to encourage Malaysians to be active and healthy.
Sports is, in fact, a powerful unifier with the ability to bring people from different cultural backgrounds together, which embodies Malaysia perfectly. As a nation, we must double down on our efforts to grow talent from the ground up while cultivating a healthy and competitive team spirit, not only for individual development but also as a lasting contribution to the country's reputation.
The Youth and Sports Ministry established the National Sports Council (Majlis Sukan Negara) as the governing body for sports in Malaysia. Holding responsibility for the growth of sports at all levels in the country is no small feat, and its efforts to date are indeed commendable.
We have come a long way since the glorious days of Malaysia's achievements in the Thomas Cup for badminton and entry in the Olympics for football. However, there is much more to be gained if sports associations are professionally managed. It is time, therefore, to open the industry to privately managed clubs like in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
This will create a healthier competition among aspiring sportsmen besides sharing the financial strain of sports development with the private sector.
Another benefit of private clubs is that they offer retired players the opportunity to groom the next generation and create recreational outlets for the older population.
From a different perspective, parents are important stakeholders in the future of sports. They decide their children's course of study, often guiding them to pursue a career with financial sustainability.
This begs the question: is there career sustainability in the Malaysian sports sector? If we hope to see greater participation in sports, parents' concerns must be addressed by shaping the sector as a viable career pathway for sports-inclined individuals. To do so, ex-sportsmen need to be assured of a lifelong stable income after their prime years are spent serving the country.
Similarly, a clear post-retirement career path must be crafted, with opportunities for sportsmen to become coaches, trainers and motivators.
This will create awareness among parents to accept sports as a career choice, even if their children do not become national athletes.
Finally, Malaysia must develop, produce and distribute its own equipment for all sports activities so that the national sports infrastructure can beget economic returns.
This way, rather than importing goods from another country, Malaysia's sports industry would be creating jobs and contributing to the economy, ultimately benefiting the nation.
The writer is an associate professor at Putra Business School
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times