SSC to the rescue following dissolution of ISN and USPTN
KUCHING: The dissolution of Institute Sukan Negara (ISN) and Unit Sukan Prestasi Tinggi Negara (USPTN) which will cease operations from Jan 1 has put sports organisations in the country, especially those from Sarawak, in a fix.
This is because funding for coaches, sports science and the development of sports is going to be severely affected.
Concerned with this latest development, sports organisations in Sarawak had a meeting with the Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) here yesterday.
Though sports development programmes for Sarawak next year and preparations for Sukma 2020 were top on the agenda, the bigger issue discussed was funding.
SSC’s chief executive office Dr Ong Kong Swee confirmed that ISN and USPTN would cease operations as of Jan 1 next year.
But he was quick to allay fears of state sports associations the role of the two national bodies would be taken up by his corporation.
“The Sarawak government had already made plans as early as 2016 to create and operate its own High Performance Centre and we have hired Andre Richard from New Zealand to head the centre,” he said.
Dr Ong said it was fortunate that the state government had the foresight to plan ahead back then although at that time there was no indication that the federal programmes would cease.
He also hinted that state staff of these two national bodies might be absorbed by the state.
“They will have to be screened and if they have the same aspirations and visions as us, perhaps we can absorb them, but definitely not all of them,” he said.
Sarawak Bodybuilder Association secretary general Andy Ismail said while his association was happy that the Sarawak government was stepping in to resolve the issue “we cannot allow the federal government to just ‘lepas tangan’ (relinquish responsibility).”
Dr Ong noted that though “grassroots development is being undertaken by state associations and the Sarawak government, athletes especially in sports like bodybuilding and diving are also contributing medals for the country.”
“So the federal government must also contribute towards the funding and not leave it entirely to the state to handle.”
Sarawak bodybuilders contributed three medals to the national team in the recent 10th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship event in Chiangmai.
Meanwhile, R Ramachandran, the president of the Sarawak Kabbadi Association, lamented the possible reduced funding for coaches who will now receive just RM800 monthly, down from the previous RM2,500.
“With this kind of funding by the federal government, our plans to have professional foreign coaches will have to be shelved,” he said.
Ramachandran said that he hoped the funding issue would be resolved soon, adding he trusted the Sarawak government would step in.
“It’s good of Sarawak to step in, but we are unhappy with the federal government for making such a hasty decision,” he said.
ISN is an agency set up nearly 30 years ago under the auspices of the Youth and Sports Ministry and is responsible for the development of sports sciences, including sports medicine and biomechanics with the aim of enhancing the performances of athletes and sports as a whole.
SSC was set up after the abolition of Sarawak Stadium Corporation Ordinance 1972 (Ord. No. 1/72) and the Sarawak Stadium Corporation (Repeal) Ordinance 2007 (Cap. A 135).
The corporation is responsible for the management and maintenance of sports complexes and facilities, and providing adequate facilities to the public and sports bodies.
According to the SSC official website (www.ssc16.gov.my), it also takes over the development of sports, recommends to government policies and methodologies to improve sports quality and collaborates with sports associations.
