Inaugral National Sports Day aims for 3m participants

PUTRAJAYA: The Youth and Sports Ministry is targeting at least three million Malaysians to participate in the first ever National Sports Day that will be held on Oct 10 this year.
The figure represents 10% of the country’s total population, said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, adding that this was in line with his ministry’s vision of transforming Malaysia into a fit nation and a sporting country that is able to compete on the global platform.
“We want at least 10% of our population to be doing some sporting activity on the tenth day of the tenth month this year. The National Sports Day will be filled with a slew of sporting events such as recreational, physical and fitness activities to cater to every Malaysian from all walks of life,” he said.
He also said the ministry had planned events at all levels from national events to smaller events in villages, districts and small towns all over the country.
Khairy urged Malaysians to carry out some sort of sporting activity on that day even if they do not want to participate in the events.
“Even if you can’t be bothered to take part in the organised events, get out there with your friends and with your family. Run around, play sports, play futsal because this is the beginning of making the nation a sporting nation,” he said.
“We want to be not just a fit country but a sporting country that is knocking on the doors of big international competitions to say Malaysia has arrived,” said the minister at the launching of the Reebok Spartan Race at the ministry here today.
The National Sports Day was announced in March by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and is slated to take place annually on every second Saturday of October.