KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — The decision to adopt a new approach by not setting specific medal targets and, instead, targeting 27 overall medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in China was not made blindly.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the target was set after getting the views from the Nippon Sports Science University (NSSU) and inputs from athletes and coaches, including from the post-mortem conducted after the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

“... have been advised by (representatives of) NSSU that this is the method used by Japan and Australia. What I want to say is that we should not do something blindly just because it was the practice before.

“Times have changed, (and) the challenges faced by athletes have also changed. If those countries use this method and we insist on sticking with the old ways, we are the ones who will lose. This is not a method that the KBS (ministry) is afraid of, the NSC (National Sports Council) is afraid of... we take heed of professional advice (from those) who really know what needs to be implemented,” she told a media conference after the launch of the Youth Capsule (Y-Capsule) @IYCResidence programme at the International Youth Centre here today.

In the September 23-October 8 Hangzhou Asiad, Malaysia will be represented by 289 athletes, who will compete in 22 out of the 40 sports or 121 out of the 481 events contested.

Meanwhile, Hannah said she would look into the proposal presented by Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan to create a national Sepak Takraw Academy.

“He met me and I heard his request. But what is important for us in the ministry is to study the proposal. It’s not that we don’t want to implement this new idea, just that I want to see how we can continue with the programme.

“There is no point if we only have allocation for one year and there is no continuity. Everyone take note, we do not have sufficient funds in the sports industry and we are focusing on giving the best incentives so that the sports industry can expand without involving funds from the government,” she said. — Bernama