Yeoh (third from left) presenting a sports matching grant mock cheque to a sports association representative during the event in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.
KOTA KINABALU: People who send their children for sports training or undergo such activity themselves might qualify for a personal tax relief starting next year if the Youth and Sports Ministry have their way.
Its Minister Hannah Yeoh said this was among their main focus for the 2024 Budget which has been presented to the Finance Ministry.
She said this could be among the ways to encourage parents to send their kids for sports training which would in turn help with sports development in the country,
"The engagement session with the Finance Ministry is still on-going and we have stated our intention on the tax relief for sports training," she said after launching the Sabah Sports Industry Expo 2023 here on Saturday (Sept 2).
She said currently, tax relief was only given for purchases of sports equipment at the moment.
"We want the tax relief to cover parents or anyone who spends on sports training," Yeoh added.
The Minister said this after being asked what were the wishes of her ministry for next year’s Budget.
Also present at the event was Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Angin.
On another issue, Yeoh said that many sports associations either at state or national levels, besides from schools, find it tough when it comes to funds to enable them to be able to participate in their respective sports competitions.
She said many of these organisations had to depend on sponsorship from various quarters, urging more private companies or individuals to chip in for the sake of sports development in the country.
"That is why we appreciate these contributions. If money is available, source them to the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) for sports.
"I believe this issue has also been given attention by the Education Ministry in empowering the holding of the National School Sports Council (MSSM) events," she said.
Earlier during the event, Yeoh presented sports matching grants totalling RM774,000 to 21 Sabah sports associations.
She said she was made to understand that 30 industry players from the sports tourism, sports medicine and sports education sectors, among others, participated in the two-day Sabah Sports Industry Expo 2023.
Meanwhile, Yeoh said the sports industry contributed some RM14bil, or 0.9% of the nation’s gross domestic product.
She expressed optimism that this figure could increase depending on the frequency of more sports activities and people’s participation.
