Ministry won't act against state govts' sports policies - Adam

PARLIAMENT | The Youth and Sports Ministry will not punish any rules or policies set by state governments regarding sports.

Its deputy minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said that the state governments have the authority to create such policies and it was not under the ministry’s purview.

“The Youth and Sports Ministry takes into account the views of the state governments, based on what is suitable to them.

“We do not want to punish any of the effects of those policies or rules that are made.

“However, we are convinced that any issues that arise can be discussed,” he said during the ministry’s winding-up speech on Budget 2024.

Adam (above) was responding to Chow Yu Hui (Harapan-Raub) who asked if attire issues would crop up if the Malaysia Games (Sukma) were to be hosted in Terengganu.

Forced to choose

Chow mentioned gymnastics and diving in particular, which had courted recent criticism.

The PAS-led Terengganu government has barred female gymnasts from representing the state in Sukma since 2019 on the grounds that their attire was not syariah-compliant.

Several gymnasts Malaysiakini spoke to said that they were forced to choose another sport, namely wushu.

Even the sole non-Muslim female gymnast withdrew from representing Terengganu with the absence of her teammates as a key factor.

Finding suitable ways

Earlier, Adam said that the ministry met with the former Terengganu female gymnasts.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh chaired the meeting with the gymnasts last week.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh

“The Youth and Sports Ministry on Oct 26 had a meeting with the Terengganu Gymnastic Association that was attended by the president of the association’s committee and the athletes’ parents.

“The meeting was to discuss the issues faced by Terengganu women athletes who were barred from participating in Sukma, based on the guidelines set at the state level.

“The meeting also discussed suitable ways to settle these issues,” Adam said.

He added that the ministry is set to meet Terengganu’s Youth, Sports and NGO Development Committee chairperson Hishamuddin Abdul Karim over the matter. - Mkini