Rentap (seated, fourth left) joins Yakeb members in a group photo.
KUCHING (Oct 30): There are still many former athletes who have not registered with National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb), says Deputy Minister I for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu.
He estimates that the number of those unregistered is between 200 and 300.
Established in 2007, Yakeb upholds its objective of managing the welfare affairs of sportsmen and sportswomen, including the para-athletes, who have retired from the game through various support and assistance schemes – some of which are run in conjunction with relevant authorities and those from the non-governmental sector.
It is reported that the foundation now have 3,000 members on its list.
“There are still many former athletes, including those who were active back in the 1950s, who have yet to be registered.
“It is important for these former athletes to register because Yakeb takes care of their welfare affairs, meant to appreciate their sacrifices and contributions to the country through their respective sports.
“Yakeb is providing them various opportunities – it wants to be a body that can help and support them after they have retired from sports.
“The assistance also applies to their children to further their education,” Rentap told reporters when met at the ‘Yakeb Turun Padang’ event held in Serapi Hotel here on Sunday.
In this respect, he said his ministry was working together with Yakeb in collecting data, with the objective of facilitating the financial assistance to those who had registered with the foundation.
Adding on, he regarded such data-collection as being ‘very important’, in that it could ensure that ‘the nation’s sports heroes would get compensations for their contributions and sacrifices to the country’.
“We see them (athletes) as our heroes. We missed out on (helping) many paralympians from Sarawak, like Bonnie Bunyau Gustin who recently won a medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games (APG) because we did not have full data.
“We want to ensure that those who have contributed to the country would be accorded proper appreciation,” said Rentap, adding that his ministry is working with the federal government in insuring all national athletes so that they would not have to worry about seeking assistance whenever in need.
“Yakeb has been receiving federal funds, so we have to work together with them as well.
“Looking at our policies meant to help our ex-athletes, especially those who are still young, we want to upskill them through Centre of Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) or other institutions of higher education in Sarawak, should they wish to pursue any field of their interest after retirement.
“Through programmes such as hydroponic farming, they can work on their potential which in turn, can increase their income as well,” he added.