KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hopes the new building to be constructed in Bukit Jalil, which is set to house the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) headquarters, will be the catalyst for national athletes to raise their performances.
He said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh had agreed to the construction of the new building on behalf of the government.
"I hope this new building will inject new impetus for OCM to drive our athletes to excel in the Olympics and regional sports events, with at least two gold medals in the coming (Los Angeles 2028) Olympics," he said at OCM's 27th annual awards night here today.
He said, having been given the trust by the Prime Minister to head the Cabinet Committee on Sports Development, he is extremely satisfied with the performance shown by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the ministry's secretary.
He said athlete development needed to be viewed holistically, not just producing athletes to pursue victory on the court, but also becoming symbols of inspiration to the younger generation and icons of noble values.
"Grassroots development is the backbone to the continuity of national sports talent.
"Through investing in training and programmes from a young age, we not only produce world champions but also quality individuals who are resilient and have noble character," he said.
He also called for better coordination in the development of sports to enhance the dignity of national sports.
Meanwhile, OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the approval of the purchase of a plot of land in Bukit Jalil for the construction of OCM's headquarters, which is located in front of the Hockey Stadium.
"With the Sports City located in Bukit Jalil, OCM will build a new headquarters with the concept of a green building that is environmentally friendly and energy efficient, in line with our desire to implement modern governance and management methods," he said.
He added that the headquarters, known as Olympic House Malaysia, is inspired by the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, which is recognised as one of the environmentally-friendly buildings, which had received sustainable building certification. -- BERNAMA