KGNS deal offers green lung protection, sustainable golf, says Hannah

 The agreement ensures the Subang golf course will stay affordable and accessible to children and the elderly over the term.

Youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh says strategic partnerships are key to allowing members of the public access to private members’ clubs.

PETALING JAYA:

 Youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh has called the recent agreement between the Subang Golf Course Corporation (PPGS) and the Subang National Golf Club (KGNS) a milestone in ongoing efforts to protect public recreational land and advance sustainable golf development.

She said it was important to preserve KGNS as a vital green lung for the community.

“I wanted to finalise an agreement and put it in writing, understanding how precious it is to nearby residents.

“I began meeting with KGNS and appointed a new PPGS board, led by Tony Pua,” Yeoh told FMT, referring to the former Petaling Jaya Utara and Damansara MP, her DAP colleague.

PPGS, a statutory body under the youth and sports ministry, owns the land on which the golf course is built.

KGNS has managed the Subang Golf Course since 1971, and after more than 50 years of informal arrangements, inked a long-term sub-lease and management agreement with PPGS recently, allowing it to continue operations until 2055.

Yeoh said the formalised agreement will give legal clarity and strengthen shared goals of preserving green space, promoting inclusivity, and advancing sports development.

Beyond the legal certainty it provides, Yeoh said the arrangement would enable the PPGS board to spearhead key initiatives that will enhance the sport’s development.

“KGNS will allow the sharing of facilities with our golf athletes, and the venue will be used for golf development programmes, including school initiatives led by PPGS together with KGNS.

“It will also be made more accessible to the current batch of civil servants who wish to use the facility,” she said.

Yeoh said that to expand accessibility, the sport must be kept affordable.

“It takes two hands to clap. My ministry has kept the rental low for KGNS, and because of its strategic location, we can do more for children,” she said, adding that the agreement also looks into the needs of senior citizens seeking a healthy lifestyle.

Strategic partnerships

The minister said strategic partnerships were necessary to improve accessibility to private members’ clubs.

“The government cannot do everything alone, and many clubs share our goal—to make sports more affordable and accessible.

“That’s why we collaborate with clubs like these, through partnerships and by offering free lessons to those who need access to such facilities,” she said.

Yeoh said that many clubs remain committed to this mission, adding that the easy option would have been to sell the land and build condominiums.

She said her ministry is currently working with the Sungai Petani Golf Club to make their facilities available to the community and offer free swimming lessons for B40 children.

Meanwhile, she said the Chinwoo athletics association in Kuala Lumpur is also in discussions with the ministry over similar initiatives. - FMT