Pre-Games budget slashed to the minimum

28/04/1998

THE pre-Games budget has been slashed from RM4.5 million to RM2.29 million
and according to Youth and Sports Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, that
is as low as they can go.
Of the main budget, Sukom will contribute RM134,000 to ease the burden
of the five associations involved in the pre-Games on July 11-19, who will
each receive RM134,830 for organising their respective sports.
Muhyiddin said the 2,000-odd athletes and officials will be housed at
Block C of the Games Village in Bukit Jalil and will be provided with
nutritional food. The athletes will check in on July 9.
Muhyiddin, after chairing a pre-Games meeting in Kuala Lumpur, said the
tests on athletes, officials, facilities and results systems will offer
valuable feedback to make the Commonwealth Games on Sept 11-21 a success.
"Athletics, aquatics, squash, gymnastics and hockey will be held at
Bukit Jalil during the pre-Games which will also see the Prime Minister
officially open the main stadium," said Muhyiddin.
Hockey and aquatics will be State meets while squash and athletics will
have competitors from Asia competing.
A four-team tournament made up of Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Perak and the
Project 2001 team will take part in hockey while in squash, it is likely
to an Asian meet.
The pre-Games will also be a test for the doping centre in Penang. "We
will conduct about 10 random tests for a start to test the facilities at
the Universiti Sains Malaysia. We hope to receive endorsement from the
International Olympic Council (IOC) on the doping centre soon."
Asked to comment on the 50 per cent slash in sponsorship for the BA of
Malaysia, Muhyiddin said BAM should learn to live within their means.
"The sponsors (Proton and Edaran Otomobil Malaysia) are not to be blamed
because they have been hit by the economic slowdown. I hope BAM will plan
their programmes properly and only spend on priority tournaments and
training."
(END)