KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The government has increased the allocation for the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) from RM1 million this year to RM2.5 million in 2027 to strengthen the welfare of national athletes, particularly retirees.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said 1,094 athletes benefited from YAKEB’s Special Assistance Scheme in 2024, rising to 1,478 in 2025 and that as of September this year, 1,223 athletes had received assistance totalling RM928,000 through YAKEB.
“The increase shows that the government is attentive to the welfare of athletes facing difficulties,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2027 (Budget 2027) at the policy stage for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) also prioritised psychological well-being and mental health as essential components of holistic athlete development.
In this regard, he said the National Sports Institute (ISN) had introduced a four-step rapid intervention protocol at competition venues, comprising mental assessment, pressure simulation training, direct intervention, and refocusing and post-competition evaluation.
On youth development, Mohammed Taufiq said KBS continued to emphasise holistic human capital development through 21 Youth and Sports Skills Training Institutes (ILKBS) nationwide, which currently had nearly 15,000 trainees.
He said Budget 2027 also provided an allocation of RM8 billion to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), in line with efforts to meet the country’s skilled workforce needs.
“Under KBS, 80 per cent of training focuses on technical skills, while the remaining 20 per cent emphasises character and personal development through community programmes and field activities,” he said.
He said KBS was also expanding access to skills training for people with special needs through the Youth Inclusivity Skills Training Programme for autistic youths and people with special needs, particularly those who had not had the opportunity to pursue further education within the mainstream education system.
He said the initiative’s achievements could be seen in the employment of TVET graduates with autism at a cafe in Menara KBS in Putrajaya, including as cooks and cashiers.
On trainee welfare, he said the allocation for cooked meal supply services at ILKBS had been increased from RM35 million to RM40 million under Budget 2027.
“The allocation was increased following feedback from trainees during several dialogue sessions with the ministry on the need to improve meal provision, after the allocation had remained unchanged for a long time,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the graduate employability rate at ILKBS had risen from 96.41 per cent in 2025 to 97.36 per cent in 2026, while the average graduate salary also increased from RM2,079 to RM2,174 over the same period.
-- BERNAMA