KOTA BHARU: The National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) needs RM3 million a year to look after the welfare of former national athletes, especially those who are ill.
Its general manager, Zuhairi Abdul Manaf, said he did not deny that the foundation had difficulty obtaining funds since lately so it was difficult for them to provide assistance to former athletes who needed attention.
“However, even though we are facing problems of funds, the foundation is still functioning and we continue to give services to former athletes, simultaneously refuting the opinions of some parties that the foundation is inactive,” he said.
He said this when visiting former state football player Awang Essa, 72, who had been ill since Sept last night at his home in Telipot here yesterday.
Awang, who was also a former national goalkeeper in 1969, had a spinal cord problem since early this year, rendering him bed-ridden.
Zuhairi said that until now the management and board members had not stopped seeking funds to cover
the welfare of almost 3,000 registered foundation members.
“Before this we were assisted by the Ministry of Finance of RM2 million to RM3 million a year but it is not periodically.” – Bernama
