Melaka proposes Youth and Sports Ministry to channel allocation to maintain sport facilities

MELAKA - The Melaka government is proposing that the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) channel special allocations to maintain sports facilities, especially to states which have hosted the Malaysia Games (Sukma).

State Youth Development, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Committee chairman V.P. Shanmugam said the special allocation was for the purpose of looking after and maintaining the sports facilities used throughout the organisation of Sukma in addition to avoiding larger expenses for future events.

He said this proposal had been submitted to KBS but there was no final word from the ministry.

"In Melaka, we are in the process of handing over the existing sports facilities to local authorities (PBT) or district offices. They will manage and look after the facility.

"However, this process also involves allocation and it is being worked on. We are trying to privatise these sports venues so that they are well taken care of,” he said at the Melaka State Assembly sitting at Kompleks Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh here today.

He said this in his reply to a supplementary question raised by Kerk Chee Yee (PH-Ayer Keroh) who wanted to know about a systematic solution to maintain the sports infrastructure in the state.

Earlier, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali (BN-Lendu) asked Shanmugam about the status of the construction of the Masjid Tanah Mini Stadium and Sports Complex.

Shanmugam, in his reply, said that the application to build a new Masjid Tanah Mini Stadium has been submitted to the Development Division of KBS and the state Economic Planning Unit (UPEN) in the list of selected projects of the 12th Malaysia Plan’s (12MP) Second Rolling Plan by the state Youth and Sports Department.

He said, however, until now the proposal has yet to obtain approval for the allocation from the Finance Ministry. - BERNAMA