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Shabery makes an impression in first visit to the NSC

KUALA LUMPUR: First impression, they say, always matters.

And the country’s new Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek certainly showed himself as a down-to-earth and hands-on Minister after his first official visit to the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil, the home of the national athletes and sports administrators, yesterday.

From his speech and his action, he showed that he had the interest of the national athletes close to his heart.

“Time and distance can be measured but not courage and determination. But that is what I see in the faces of the athletes here, and I will do all I can to help them achieve excellence for the country,” said Shabery to a thunderous applause from the national athletes and officials.

“Today, I have been given a red carpet welcome. Next time I intend to come here and listen to what the athletes have to say without having all these officials around. I am open to the athletes’ ideas and suggestions. I may even drop by and use the gymnasium here.”

Shabery also took time to visit some of the athletes in training yesterday, including those from weightlifting, archery, athletics, gymnastics, wushu and badminton.

He also shared with the athletes his three-pronged vision to strengthen Malaysian sports.

He aims to establish Malaysia as a sporting nation, to improve the nation’s medal tally in major sporting events and to turn sport into an industry.

“In future, I hope every Malaysian will be able to play at least one game. I hope many will be inspired to become like Lee Chong Wei or Nicol David or Shalin Zulkifli,” he said.

“We also want to improve our excellence in major tournaments. It is also my intention to make sport an industry. Rather than importing sporting goods from overseas, we can explore avenues to produce our very own. In future, there should be careers and job opportunities for people in sports.”

Shabery also said that he would look at successful sports models – like those in England, Australia and China – for Malaysia to emulate.

For now, Shabery plans to continue with the existing set-up in the Malaysian sport and not make changes just for the sake of changing.

Shabery has made a good start, let’s hope he will make a lasting impression.

The Star

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