ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has consented to the plan for the state to host football matches in the 2027 SEA Games, says a state executive councillor.
Youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said Tunku Ismail made this known during an audience on Thursday.
“I am grateful to the Johor Regent for his faith in us. With his consent, my team and I will submit an official application to the Youth and Sports Ministry to be one of the hosts for the SEA Games.
“Further details, including on the cost and locations involved, will only be determined after meetings with the Johor Sports Council and the SEA Games’ secretariat,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the Johor state assembly sitting here yesterday.
On Wednesday, Mohd Hairi said Johor was considering offering venues for football matches for the 2027 SEA Games as its accessibility and fine sports facilities gave the state an advantage.
During the meeting, the exco member said the state government planned to make it compulsory for students aged 16 and above to join youth associations or volunteer organisations.
“I would like to propose a new transformation for students in Johor whereby those aged 16 and above are required to participate in their preferred youth organisations or voluntary organisations such as district youth councils or Southern Volunteers.
“This initiative will ensure that they do not shy away from joining associations or organisations in future,” he said in response to See Chin Li (PH-Tangkak) on whether the state government planned to create youth clubs in schools.
Mohd Hairi said the state government did not intend to do so as this could add to the existing burden of teachers.
He added that Johor has nearly two million youths, about half of the state’s 4.1 million population.
