School-level Rakan Muda clubs next year

KUALA LUMPUR: Rakan Muda clubs will be set up in secondary schools next year to allow students to participate in more recreational pursuits.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the joint effort between the ministry and the Education Ministry would encourage youths to be active.
The ministries have also formed a committee to improve the quality of sports such as hockey in schools and at districts.
Speaking after giving away prizes to winners of the Kid Witness News National Contest here, Ismail Sabri said Malaysia did not perform well in hockey because the players practised on grass while international tournaments were held on artificial turf.
“However, to have astroturf (a brand of synthetic turf) fields in every state is not practical.
“I believe we need to develop the sport in schools by having more competitions and leagues,” he said.
On the RM600,000 debt owed by the Perlis Football Association to the Employees Provident Fund, he said it was the association‘s responsibility to settle its financial woes.
“These are risks that have to be taken by the president and he should be willing to make sacrifices to solve the problem,” he said, adding that the ministry does not extend help to any association as it would increase its burden.
“Our focus at the ministry is to develop programmes to elevate the quality of sports,” he stressed.