KBS to strengthen e-sports development to generate high growth

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will strengthen the development of electronic sports (e-sports), which has high potential for the country’s economy, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Its Deputy Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said that e-sports are also seen as capable of producing many industry players, including athletes, besides being a gateway to students’ interest in the field of science and technology.

“E-sports is a billion-ringgit industry, and in fact by the end of this year in December, we will host M6 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship), where the offered prize value of US$1 million (RM4.7 million) attracts many of our local players who are trying their luck to compete at the local level to seize the championship throne.

“This also produces many industry players, not only players but also in fields such as coaching, casting, programming, marketing, and graphic design, and it is a very robust industry that demands various disciplines to be practiced,” he said during the question-and-answer session.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Rodziah Ismail (PH-Ampang) who wanted to know the government’s direction in the field of e-sports.

Expanding further, Adam Adli said that the direction of e-sports development has been outlined under the Electronic Sports Strategic Plan through the Electronic Sports Development Guidelines (NESDEG) which supports the implementation of strategies contained in the KBS Electronic Sports Strategic Plan 2020-2025.

Answering the original question from Zakri Hassan (PNKangar) regarding the provision of e-sports development in rural areas, he said KBS, through Esports Integrated (ESI), has introduced a specific allocation under the KBS E-Sports Fund to encourage local industry enthusiasts to organise more programmes, competitions, and sporting events at the grassroots level.