Khairy and Tawfiq as well as senior sports officials joining in the mass aerobics at the FitMalaysia @ Sabah programme yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: Thousands of participants took part in the FitMalaysia @ Sabah programme at the Likas Bay Public Park near here yesterday.
The Sabah edition was the third leg after Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, where the aim of the national movement is to transform Malaysia from a ‘sports loving nation’ to a ‘sporting nation’.
Under this move, programmes that included running events, cycling and fitness activities will be conducted in each state.
Federal Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin joined the participants for some fitness activities here.
And he was particularly impressed with the FitMalaysia here, which was organised by the federal ministry through the Federal Youth and Sports Department of Sabah and in association with the Youth and Sports Ministry of Sabah as well as federal and state agencies.
“A very big thank you to Sabahans, especially those in the city areas, who came in numbers and to participate in the programme.
“The response was overwhelming where the FitMalaysia Ride and FitMalaysia Run flagged off in the morning saw around 10,000 people taking part.
“It is a huge number and I expect it to be greater because this programme will run until evening where it also involves fitness and martial art activities,” he told reporters.
Khairy added he could see a huge wave forming with regard to the programme, where he hoped to further build it into each and every state in the country.
“God willing, when we have completed the programme in every state, we will be coming back for second one in each state, including Sabah.
“But, we may take it to another location, such as Sandakan or Tawau in our next visit,” added Khairy, who took part in many activities and posed obligingly for photos with participants.
Apart from the run and riding, the public also visited the various booths put up such as the National Sports Institute of Malaysia (ISN) Sabah Satellite Centre.
Also present were State Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan, the ministry’s principal assistant secretary Abdul Rahman Laman, Sabah Sports Council director Terrance Pudin and Sabah Sports Board general manager Penyuki Matta.