MELAKA: Sports belong to all Malaysians regardless of background, says Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
He said this at the launch of two flagship initiatives, the Malaysia Aktif programme and the state-level KLAS Martial Arts 2026, held at the Youth and Sports Complex in Ayer Keroh on Sunday (Oct 25).
"Both iconic programmes of the National Youth and Sports Department carry one clear message: sports belong to all Malaysians," he said.
Dr Mohammed Taufiq explained that the Malaysia Aktif movement is designed to steer the country toward becoming a true "Sporting Nation."
"This programme aims to bring sports directly to the people and build a healthy sporting culture for overall well-being, fully aligned with the spirit of unity," he added.
The Melaka leg of the initiative is being hosted as a community carnival featuring 10 distinct sporting events, targeting over 1,000 participants.
"The activities include a Waja Diri assembly, fitness challenge, push bike championship, a 16-team netball tournament, mega aerobikthon, KLAS ATV, dodgeball, cup stacking, arm wrestling, and fun games for children," he said.
Turning to the KLAS Martial Arts programme, Dr Mohammed Taufiq noted that the state initiative kicks off on Oct 25 and will run across three phases through next month.
"At the state level, featured sports include taekwondo, judo, wushu, and silambam. Meanwhile, district-level programmes will focus on two specific combat sports per district, selected from silat, taekwondo, or muay thai," he said.
He highlighted that the initiative aims to provide basic self-defence training to the public, particularly youth.
"The goal is to instil discipline and self-confidence while encouraging young people to stay away from unhealthy activities," he added.
