‘Right people in the right positions’: Hannah Yeoh aims to put former athletes in key sports bodies before term as minister ends

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said her aim before she ends her term in office is to empower Malaysia’s sporting community by placing former athletes in key positions within the nation’s sports bodies, even as the political rumour mill grinds about a possible Cabinet reshuffle.

In a Facebook post today, Yeoh outlined her vision of ensuring that those who have lived and breathed sports are now at the forefront of shaping its future.

“One of the key things I want to do before I complete my term as the Youth and Sports Minister is to place the right people in the right positions,” Yeoh said, emphasising her commitment to leveraging the expertise of former athletes in various capacities.

Yeoh underscored the various types of appointments within Malaysia’s sports landscape.

“While some positions, such as those in the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), are elected by their members, others are appointed directly by the Minister.

“Those elected by others, I do not have power to remove. That is done through a democratic process and we must respect that. I can only remove those I appoint,” she explained.

Since taking office, Yeoh has appointed a number of former athletes to key roles, believing that their first-hand experience is invaluable.

“In my short time as Minister, I have appointed a lot of key former athletes to help me. It is my belief that former athletes understand sports and the needs of athletes,” she said.

Notable appointments include Datuk Nicol David, who served as the Deputy Chef de Mission at the Paris Olympic 2024 and received high praise from Yeoh.

“In Paris Olympic 2024, I managed to spend a lot of time with Datuk Nicol David, our Deputy Chef de Mission, who did a brilliant job supporting our athletes. She did it so convincingly well.”

Yeoh’s strategic placements extend to various key bodies such as the Road to Gold committee, Majlis Sukan Negara Malaysia, and Institut Sukan Negara Malaysia, with prominent figures like Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Datuk Marina Chin, and Mirnawan Nawawi playing crucial roles.

“I want my legacy to be about empowering our former athletes to help current and future athletes because they know the needs and they understand,” Yeoh said.

Last night, national track cyclist Muhamad Shah Firdaus’s relegation from the men’s keirin final of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France endedd Malaysia’s Olympic medal hunt.

At the Malaysia Commercialisation Year Summit at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre this morning, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar rejected a speculative report claiming he is planning to change some ministers in less than a year since the previous Cabinet reshuffle.

When asked about a menteri besar possibly taking a ministerial position, he briefly said that it might happen after the general election, which is due in 2028.

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