KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of RM230 million for sports development under Budget 2025, saying more must be done to support athletes like shuttlers Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah as well as Goh Sze Fei-Nur and Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani.

Anwar said the national shuttlers have demonstrated how sports was an important unifying factor in multiracial Malaysia.

"We also want to congratulate all athletes that competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games. These include Cheah Liek Hou and Bonnie Bunyau Gustin who clinched gold,” Anwar said during the tabling of Budget 2025 at Dewan Rakyat today.

The allocation was an increase from RM224 million in this year’s budget.

The funds will be for athletes' preparations for the world para games and the Deaflympics in Tokyo in 2025 and will be used for programmes he cited for the future of sports.

RM15 million will be allocated for football.

Other sports to benefit from Budget 2025:

• Cricket: RM1 million.
• Selangor Red Giants: Won the e-Sports World Cup, RM20 million is allocated for strengthen the e-sports ecosystem to find and develop future talents.
• Tax exemptions: Tax exemptions on the prize money won by any individual athlete or team benefitting from the Sports Winners Prizemoney Scheme under Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN).