Sarawak hopes for larger share of RM230 mln sports allocation

KUCHING (Oct 19): Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu is hoping for Sarawak to see a larger slice of the RM230 million allocated for sports in Budget 2025, citing the state’s strong sports development programmes.

The state Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development said sports development is a long-term investment and that “champions cannot be churned out overnight”.

“It has to be consistent and continuous. More competitions have to be organised locally, while exposure outside the state and country, as well as parallel technical development for our coaches and officials, is necessary,” he told The Borneo Post.

He pointed to Paralympian Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, Olympians Bertrand Rhodict Lises and Ashley Lau Jen Wen, as well as former Olympians Datuk Pandelela Rinong, Watson Nyambek and Brian Nickson Loman, as proof that Sarawak’s sports development programmes are on the right track, and thus deserving of more federal funding.

When presenting Budget 2025 in Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the over RM230 million allocation for sports involved podium programmes, training, and the ‘Road to Gold’ initiative, as well as preparations for para athletes for international events including the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo.

He also said Budget 2025 is proposing income tax exemptions on cash prize rewards received by individual and team athletes, through the Sports Victory Prize Scheme provided by the National Sports Council.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association president Dato Patrick Liew said bigger allocations by the government for sports are always welcomed.

“High achievements in sports are the best source of publicity for the country. Providing good incentives and tax exemption on the prize money is the perfect way to reward our sportsmen and sportswomen for their hard work.

“However, in order for them to proudly stand on the podium, we have to invest more from the development stage – of course with proper and good strategy development programmes and management skills,” he said.

Liew said he particularly welcomed the government’s decision to maintain matching grants to support high-performance sports events organised by sport bodies and the private sector.

“It is definitely a crucial and important journey in order to prepare and nurture our young sports personalities. It is a chicken-and-egg situation – no investment, no results.”

Sarawak Electronic Sports Association (Sesa) president Afiq Fadhil Nawawi welcomed the RM20 million allocation for esports from the government, calling it the right step to further strengthen the country’s esports ecosystem.

“This will open up wider opportunities for talent development at the grassroots level, provide better infrastructure, as well as increase the competitiveness of local teams on the international stage.

“In Sarawak, we are also working hard to develop the esports ecosystem, and with closer support and collaboration between the government, private sector and the esports community, we believe Sarawak can become one of the main esports centres in Malaysia,” he said.

In this regard, Afiq hoped to see increased youth participation in esports, saying that Sesa is committed to developing local talents through more comprehensive programmes, including by holding more competitions and workshops in collaboration with various parties.

Sarawak Cricket Association deputy president Gordon Chung thanked Putrajaya for the RM1 million allocation to develop the sport, calling it recognition for the hard work by the Malaysian cricket community over the years to raise the local standard to international level.

“This is only the beginning, and we are definitely excited to prove to the Youth and Sports Ministry that the RM1 million will be put into good use for the development of the sport,” he said.