Next week, the youth and sports ministry will
table a paper to the Cabinet to propose that courts and sports facilities in
the country be named after living athletes who made the country proud in the
international arena.
Minister Dato Ahmad Shabery Cheek as quoted by BERNAMA hoped the
move would inspire national athletes to work harder at excelling at
international level.
"In other countries, naming sports
courts or venues after living athletes is nothing new, but this has yet to be
practised in the country.
"This is because, there are regulations
that prevent us from naming buildings or places after living people, therefore
the government will table the proposal paper to name sports facilities after
excellent athletes," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after attending
the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations at the Marang Waterfront organised by the
State Umno Liaison Board here today (28 September 2009).
Also present were state Umno liaison board
chairman and home minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Terengganu
Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, members of parliament, state assemblymen and
executive councillors.
Ahmad Shabery said he had conveyed the matter
to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and received positive feedback.
He said athletes who were informed of the
matter, such as squash queen Datuk Nicol David and national cyclist Mohd
Azizulhasni Awang, felt it was an immense honour for them.
Congratulating Nicol on her triumph in
defending her title in the Women's World Open and winning the trophy for the
fourth time on Sunday, Ahmad Shabery said the ministry planned on naming the
National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil after Nicol.
Meanwhile, a mini-velodrome in Dungun would
be named after Mohd Azizulhasni.
