Promote careers in sports, parents urged

BY OLIVIA LEE

KUALA LUMPUR: Parents should encourage children to look at sports as a career, said Sports and Youth Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein. 

With a possible scholarship and incentive programme for prospective athletes, it would be a lucrative career, he added. 

“Sports, at this level, is really a full-time job and a lot of investment will go into it. 

“Our job in the Government is to make it easier for parents to make decisions for their children,” he told reporters after announcing the sponsors of KL Grand Prix International Horse Show at Islamic Arts Museum here yesterday. 

The five-star event will be held at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil from Oct 2 to 5. 

“There are lots of long-term incentives we want to look at,” Hishammuddin said, adding that this was in line with the Prime Minister’s recent announcement on scholarships for athletes. 

Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said in his Budget speech last week that the Government would give scholarships to athletes to further studies locally or abroad to become coaches or managers in sports of their choice. 

“It is in line with what we are doing in the Education Ministry and in universities. 

“We look at it as a long-term and not one-off payment,” Hishammuddin said. 

He hoped the scholarships offered would be attractive for students to excel in sports careers.