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Tuesday July 25, 2006

Cost of centre will be realistic

By MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR

PUTRAJAYA: The cost of the proposed high performance sports training centre in London will be reasonable and the Government wants local athletes to get into a competitive environment while training there.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who chairs the Cabinet committee on sports, said the concept of the centre had been approved but details had yet to be worked out.

“The proposal is under the 9th Malaysia Plan. No amount has been approved by the Cabinet committee pending our discussion with the Finance Ministry,” Najib said when asked on the status of the proposed RM490mil project, which had come under fire from various quarters.

“We will only allow an amount that is considered reasonable. Don’t worry, when we decide, we will take into account the people’s views.”

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said said on Sunday that the centre, located at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in Brickendonbury, was necessary to mould Malaysian sportsmen into becoming high achievers.

Felda liaison director Ahmad Maslan (third from left) talking to Najib while other liaison officers look on after the Deputy Prime Minister launched the Felda youth award on Monday.
Najib reiterated the Prime Minister’s statement last week that the Government would wait for the decision of the British authorities before making a decision.

Asked if there was a guarantee the athletes would deliver after training there, Najib replied: “There is no such guarantee, but we have to try and improve the standard of sports.

“We find that if you want them to compete at the highest level, they have to be exposed at that level on a regular basis. You can’t just expose them once in a while, they have to be immersed in a competitive culture.”

Earlier, launching the Felda youth award, Najib said that after 50 years, the Government wanted to see a continuously vibrant scheme so that the Felda community would continue to be engaged with the other communities.

The youth award is divided into 10 categories in recognition of the contribution of Felda youths.

The categories include the excellent Felda youth association, best administration, and volunteer and social service work.

In Kota Baru, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said many sports associations and organisations welcomed the project with the hope that it could groom Malaysians to become world-class athletes.

He said many countries sent their athletes to Europe to improve on their skills and performance.

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