KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Ministry is counting on the corporate sector to back successful sports like bowling.
The national bowlers concluded a triumphant Asian Championships in Bangkok, returning home with a record-breaking haul of 17 medals – eight gold, five silver, and four bronze – to emerge as overall champions.
Despite consistently delivering results, the national bowlers have often been overlooked, mainly because tenpin bowling is not part of the Olympic Games.
This lack of recognition has forced the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) to rely heavily on limited funding from the National Sports Council (NSC).
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh acknowledged that while they had received support from the Ministry of Finance (MoF), more backing from the corporate sector is importantl moving forward.
"The back-up athletes want to be sent to more tournaments to gain experience and reduce nerves during competitions, but this requires more funding. We've communicated this to the MoF," Yeoh said after welcoming the bowlers at KLIA in Sepang today.
"We hope the corporate sector will invest more in sports. Discussions with the MoF are ongoing about securing additional financial support."
She also revealed that her ministry is working with the Sports Commissioner's Office (SCO) to develop a grading system for National Sports Associations (NSAs) to attract corporate sponsorship.
'The next reform we are working on with the SCO is to grade NSAs, making them more appealing for corporate backing," said Yeoh.
"NSAs need to ensure proper governance and transparency in how funds are spent. Simply pumping money into athletes isn't effective if the associations don't play their part."
She cited MTBC as a prime example, noting their continuity and commitment to nurturing a large pool of athletes.
"MTBC is a good association to support. They've been consistent winners for many years, and I will certainly encourage the corporate sector to back them."