PUTRAJAYA, Oct 9 ― The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) is focusing efforts on encouraging the public to venture into sports industry that is able to offer them a bright future.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the efforts, which were also welcomed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, could indirectly help generate self-income and boost the country’s economic growth.

“I always recommend that this is the right time for our athletes to monetise their name and build a brand which can also held generate income for themselves as well as the sports they represent.

“I would also like to encourage former athletes and unemployed youths to venture into sports business industry that actually has the potential to grow,” he told a press conference after the launch of the National Sports Day (HSN) 2021 celebration, here.

Ahmad Faizal said that the ministry was also focusing on the welfare of the country’s athletes if the sports industry is able to generate revenue for the country.

Earlier, Ismail Sabri in his speech when launching HSN 2021 said that KBS was drafting the National Sports Industry Action Plan, aimed at making sports a new source of economic growth.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Faizal said he had discussed with Finance Minister Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz to find ways to help 1,968 sports-related business operators restart their business after being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As such, he hoped that Budget 2022 which would be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on October 29 would include measures to help the group.

On the newly-launched Talent Identification and Development Programme, Ahmad Faizal hoped that the technology used by the teachers involved could help KBS spur new sports talents in the country.

“Through this programme, teachers across the country will be able to key in information about students with potential into the database.

“For example, if KBS want to find a student, aged below 12, who can run 100 metres in 12 seconds, we would be able to find information on the student with just a single click,” he said.

Known as the KPM-KBS MyTID, the programme which also involves collaboration with the Education Ministry is expected to help expand the participation of new talents, as young as seven-year-old, who have the potential at the grassroots level so that they can be identified earlier and reduce the risk of talent dropout. ― Bernama