THE government has guaranteed that they will improve the national sports arena and support the Podium Programme in order to achieve their dream of winning gold in the Olympics.
An allocation of RM240mil has been approved for the elite programme.
“The government has always supported the efforts and initiatives to organise more championships and high-level tournaments, not only to encourage the growth of the sports industry but also to provide a more competitive platform for the athletes,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob during the opening ceremony of the 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma) at Dectar, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), in Bangi yesterday.
Fourteen state contingents and Brunei are taking part in the ongoing Sukma which features 31 sports (223 men and 184 women events) with athletics offering the most gold medals with 44 followed by aquatics, 43.
Ismail hoped that young stars from the Sukma will go on to represent the country at next year’s Cambodia SEA Games, Asian Games in Hangzhou and 2024 Paris Olympics.
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