KUCHING: Sarawak Youth and Sports Ministry presented grants amounting to RM5,030,600 to 59 youth and sports organisations in the state.
Its Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the grants were for implementing youth and sports programmes and activities throughout this year.
“The recipients must be wise and creative in planning and organising their respective programmes and activities while complying with the relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said.
While the amounts may vary, he said, the recipients should not be deterred as they were evaluated based on the needs of each programme.
He also reminded the organisations that the ministry would always be there to assist them whenever they require further assistance provided they present a thorough paperwork to the ministry.
He was speaking at the 2021 Youth and Sports grant presentation ceremony held at Waterfront Hotel here today (Feb 20).
Abdul Karim who is also the Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) president said that based on a study on Sarawak Youth Index in 2019 involving 13,437 youth respondents, the state youth quality and wellbeing level was at a moderate level, with a score of 70.62.
“From the sports perspective, the study found that youth involvement in sports showed a relatively low score value – at 44.93.
“This shows that less than half of Sarawak youth respondents use their free time for sports, out of 1.2 million total youths in Sarawak (15 to 40 years old) as a whole.
“Therefore, the ministry will continue to organise more programmes in collaboration with Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) to encourage involvement of youths and community in sports,” he added.
On the ministry’s efforts to assist in curbing the spread of Covid-19, 11 of its 137 sports facilities and infrastructure are currently being used for Covid-19 management. These included youth camps, civic centres, youth hostels and indoor stadiums throughout the state.
The ministry is also implementing 39 sports projects under the People’s Projects and the 11th Malaysia Plan including sports complexes, unity stadium and other works at youth camps, towards making Sarawak a sports powerhouse.
