PUTRAJAYA is committed to looking after the welfare of former national athletes, including disabled athletes, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb), established in 2007, is dedicated to managing the welfare of retired athletes, including those with disabilities.

“At the beginning of its establishment, 150 former athletes were registered as members. Now the number has increased to almost 3,000.

“The main goal of establishing Yakeb was for it to be a platform for former athletes to get financial assistance for medical treatment, health support, equipment assistance, natural disaster assistance, death benefits, monthly financial aid, and education aid,” the Hang Tuah Jaya lawmaker said during Ministers’ Question Time.

He was responding to Doris Sophia Brodie (Sri Aman-GPS), who asked the ministry about its efforts to ensure the welfare of former athletes, especially veteran paralympic athletes. 

He said that the foundation is working with several others to help former athletes build their post-retirement careers. 

“To ensure former disabled veteran athletes are able to be independent, Yakeb has organised seminars and courses to help build their careers. Yakeb has pursued cooperation with various parties to help former athletes. 

“From July 24 to 28, Yakeb, in collaboration with the National Sports Institute, will organise a Level 2 Sports Science coaching course for former athletes to develop their careers as coaches. This course will be attended by 70 former athletes, 15 of them disabled,” he said.

“Yakeb is also working with Yayasan Hasanah to organise various skills and entrepreneurship courses aimed at equipping former athletes with knowledge and skills so they are ready to enter the job market or start their own business.

“This course is in its third series this year, and the next series will be partaken by more than 200 former athletes nationwide, with 30 of them being disabled former athletes,” he said.

Adam said that through Yakeb’s collaboration with DHS Hospitality Academy and Open University this year, 50 former athletes, including 20 disabled former athletes, were offered courses in hospitality and tourism management.

He said the offers included full scholarships. 

“This year, Yakeb also collaborated with GoCoach, a company that provides an online coach search app, providing opportunities for former disabled athletes across the country who are qualified and interested in becoming full-time or part-time coaches to train new talent, or teenagers who need further guidance.

“Through its cooperation with Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd, or Prolintas, Yakeb has opened opportunities for former athletes, including disabled ones, to coach (underserved) children, including homeless children from Jalinan Kasih Guidance School located in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur.”

He said the programme is expected to start next month. 

Adam said Yakeb is pursuing several other collaborations with various corporate giants, including Genting Malaysia Bhd and Alliance Bank Malaysia, to open job opportunities for ex-athletes in hospitality and insurance. – June 14, 2023.