KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) hopes that the RM324 million allocation for sports development announced by the government in Budget 2023 will be distributed equally to the relevant parties, including para-athletes.
Its president Datuk Seri Megat D. Shahriman Zaharuddin said distribution of funds for training and sports facilities should be done fairly and without discrimination, especially for the country’s athletes with disabilities.
“I hope that the allocation will be distributed equally without any element of favouritism for the development of sports programmes for the disabled,” he told Bernama.
In the meantime, Megat D. Shahriman said MPM would make full use of the allocation in accordance with its four focus areas to enhance the development of para sports at the grassroots.
He said the four focus areas were efforts to unearth more new talent; development classification; championship programmes for 27 sports associations; and the para-sports awareness programme.
Meanwhile, Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) president Gerard Monteiro said priority would be given to help two national squash players, S. Sivasangari and Ng Eain Yow, who are currently pursuing their studies abroad.
Sivasangari is studying at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in the United States, while Eain Yow is a student at the University of the West of England, United Kingdom.
“We will also use the funds for training programmes for other national squash players,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Finance Minister, when tabling Budget 2023 yesterday, announced that the government has allocated RM324 million for sports development, upgrading sports facilities and enhancing training programmes for all athletes. – BERNAMA
