KUALA LUMPUR – The Youth and Sports Ministry is exploring the potential for tax relief on sports training expenses.
Minister Hannah Yeoh said that the implementation of such a measure would not only establish a thriving sports ecosystem within the country but also propel the sports industry’s growth, aligning with the government’s policy of promoting sports as a lifestyle.
“I believe that in my efforts to popularise sports, the need for sports goods and sports classes or training should also be widely accessible by the people,” she said.
“I recently met with the Finance Ministry to present the 2024 budget proposal from the sports ministry.
“For the year 2024, I have requested the Finance Ministry to consider, among other things, the empowerment of the concept of popularising sports.
“Several initiatives have been proposed to enable Malaysians to obtain the needs and use facilities for sports or recreation easily and affordably.”
Hannah was speaking at the launching of the Rahmah Sports Sale at Al-Ikhsan The Curve Mutiara Damansara, today.
She added that without fiscal support, the government’s efforts may face challenges, especially if parents opt not to enrol their children in structured training programmes but instead allow them to engage in unstructured play.
She said such an approach may not translate into the achievement of sporting excellence and the pursuit of medals.
The Rahmah Sports Sale involves the participation of various sports retail companies such as Syarikat Al-Ikhsan Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Gatti Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Original Classic (OC) Sdn Bhd, MST Golf Sdn Bhd, Leonian Sdn Bhd, Delta Rovers Sdn Bhd, Maxx Sport Sdn Bhd and Decathlon Sdn Bhd.
The sale was launched in conjunction with National Sports Day this October 14. – September 14, 2023