Suka Sukan: Sustainable business model for community sports hub

KUALA LUMPUR: To integrate sports and community, the Youth and Sports Ministry together with the Malaysian Young Leaders Programme have come out with an initiative to create a sustainable business model for community sports hubs called ‘Suka Sukan’.

The programme leader, Chandran Nair said the strategic plan is part of the National Transformation Plan 2050 ( TN50) with the target to create a better future for the younger generation.

“The business model will consider strategies to increase participation and engagement rates across all levels of society, optimise the current use of sports hubs and create opportunities for new low cost-high impact sports centres for the public,” he said.

TN50 is an initiative by launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak early this year to plan Malaysia’s future for the period 2020 to 2050.

Chandra, who is also the founder and chief executive officer of Global Institute for Tomorrow ( GIFT), said the purpose of the community sports hub is to encourage less sedentary lifestyle, tackle high obesity, nurture racial harmony and promote social unity. Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that it is important for the youth to be involved in sports as it is one of the ways to address the health problems in the country.

“It is important to remember that sports is about being healthy and more than just a gold medal,” he said in his speech at the event here yesterday.

Khairy also encouraged Malaysians to be more active and take part in various fitness programmes conducted by the government but reminded them that being healthy is a continuous effort.

“This is the reason why we need a self-sustaining local community sports centre that can be used by everyone to achieve the target in being a sporting nation by 2020,” said Khairy. — Bernama