KUALA LUMPUR: As the country celebrates National Sports Day, expect the mood among national sports associations (NSAs) will be a little subdued.
Of concern is that the RM332 million allocated for sports under the 2023 Budget won't be enough for the NSAs to effectively carry out their programmes.
Although the amount looks substantial, on closer examination, it is not enough to go around for every sport.
Especially with national athletes preparing for several major events next year: the Phnom Penh Sea Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games, and qualifying competitions for the 2024 Paris Olympics. All these will require comprehensive preparations and a veritable amount of funds.
Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria welcomed the RM332 million allocation for Malaysian sports.
But he feels that more cash injection is needed if the national contingent are to excel in several major events next year.
"We welcome the RM154 million allocated for the development of the sports ecosystem, but we must be on par with our competitors' level of investment if we wish to remain competitive," he said.
In 2021, the government allocated RM614.7 million for the Youth and Sports Ministry. However, the budget for last year was reduced to RM289 million, and which was later increased to RM349 million, with RM60 million extra for the Podium programme.
During the tabling of the 2023 Budget today, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said that 2022 has been a successful year for Malaysian sports as the Jalur Gemilang was hoisted around the world with Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik's World Championships triumph the highlight.
The budget allocation for sports will be divided into nine parts with the largest chunk of RM154 million meant for the development of a comprehensive sports ecosystem, which involves identifying new talents, training programmes, and equipping sports facilities.
The second largest allocation of RM145 million is for the maintenance, upgrading and building of sports facilities throughout the country.
There is quite a loud "vroom" in ringgit for motorsport development as RM29 million will be pumped into it.
There will be plenty of excited clicks for esports which are set to score RM13 million in allocation.
Parasports, which have been putting Malaysia on the world map, will get RM12 milllion while the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) will be given RM5 million.
A sum of RM10 million is set aside for National Sports Day and the FitMalaysia initiative next year. And it's RM15 million for the Healthy Malaysia National Agenda.
Non-governmental organisations that help in grassroots development will also be eligible for tax deduction.