RM28.8m to upgrade sport facilities
Published on: Saturday, February 08, 2020
Sim (second right) talking to the press with (from left) Yusrie, Phoong and Mohd Soufi looking on.
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has been given funds amounting to RM28.8 million by the Federal Government to upgrade the sports complexes in the State this year.Federal Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong made the announcement in a press conference after attending the State Youth and Sports Ministry Chinese New Year lunch function held at the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex on Friday.ADVERTISEMENT
“The amount is for the new projects to be carried out in the New Year and it is not meant for the existing ones that have been launched previously. These involved some big and small projects including some submitted by the Sabah Youth and Sports Minister himself,” he said.
According to him, Putatan district will get the biggest share of the fund with RM8.8 million to carry out upgrading job on the Putatan Council Stadium and the Federal Youth and Sports Complex situated in the same district will also receive a hefty sum of RM5 million for upgrading.
Other upgrades will also be done on Tenom Sports Complex for RM8 million, Libaran Community Sports Complex for RM2 million as well as other small projects in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan areas amounting to some RM1 million, while a mini sports complex will be built in Nabawan at a cost of RM4 million.
Sim who was here two days earlier for the official launch of the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) also hoped the good relationship between Sabah and the Federal levels will continue.ADVERTISEMENT
“We hope the working relationship like this will continue not just in the youth and sports sector but also in other fields between the State and Federal government,” he added.
Meanwhile, State Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe, who welcomed the good news and thanked Sim and the Federal Ministry, admitted that they are still well short of the amount needed to repair all the sports facilities in the State despite the extra funds promised.
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“It is definitely not enough and I have informed the State Cabinet that we need at least RM85 million just to do repairing jobs and not include upgrading on all the sports facilities in the State.
“This is a very big challenge for us and we need to find ways to overcome it. We have been trying very hard so that the public will see the improvement in times to come.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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“I would again like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to YB Lim Guan Eng, Federal Finance Minister on his willingness to give special funds to Sabah for the facilities repair jobs as well,” he said.
Also present at the press conference apart from Sim and Phoong were Youth and State Permanent Secretary Yusrie Abdullah and Director of Federal Sabah Youth and Sports Department Mohd Soufi Mohd Ibrahim.