Phoong (middle) gives thumbs up together with F&N organizers.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah need to have good strategies to attract its people to work in the state.
State Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe commenting on the Budget 2020, said that the initiatives, particularly for sports and youths, are very welcomed and grateful for.
He said Sabah has a serious problem of its youth going outside of the state to seek jobs.
Thus, good strategies are needed to attract them back to work and have a better life here in the State, he explained.
He said the RM6.5 billion to generate and create jobs in the country would truly benefit the people and a good initiative by the federal government.
In the budget tabled on Friday, by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced the Malaysians@Work initiative which will cost some RM6.5 billion over five years to create additional 350,000 jobs for Malaysians.
Phoong was speaking to the media at ‘100Plus Aktifkan Malaysiaku’ event, held at Tanjung Aru Two here yesterday.
For sports development, over RM300 million is provided for building sports courts, organizing sports programs and upgrading sports facilities among others, in the state.
Phoong said he had written to his federal counterpart Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul stating his intention to develop sports facilities in Sabah.
He said currently Sabah is bidding for Sukma 2022, so the state is in need of better facilities such as upgrading Likas sports complex, new indoor stadium and international level courts.
On eSports, Phoong admitted that it did not get enough attention and actually could benefit the tourism sector if an international event for the sport is to be held in the state.
Not only that, eSport would also lead to the development of other sectors such as IT, electronic and retail and Phoong said the sport indeed has big potential.
On hiring of coach, he said due to financial constraints the ministry is looking for sponsorship for athlete development and hoping to find companies to back up sports associations just like some sports abroad.