KUCHING: Sarawak government will work together with National Athletes’ Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) to take care of its former athletes.
In stating this, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu said that the state would allocate some funds for YAKEB to help the former national athletes.
“In line with that, from our policy, we will also help our former athletes, especially the young ones, to upskill themselves.
“We have our own university and Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS) that could help them gain knowledge and skills so that after they retire from being an athlete, they could go and explore in another field,” he said.
He said this when met by the media after attending YAKEB Turun Padang 3.0 – Sarawak programme at Serapi Hotel here yesterday.
Following this, he stated that from YAKEB too, the state government would be able to get data of their former athletes.
“We see the athletes as our heroes but sometimes we overlook our former athletes who brought us glory.
“That is why we need to have the full data of our former athletes to see who have contributed to Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole. We want to give back to them. With that, we will work together with YAKEB to take care of our former athletes’ welfare,” he said.
