THE decision to appoint Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria as deputy chairman of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme aims to safeguard the initiative from political instability, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.

“As I explained in Parliament, this move ensures that the RTG programme remains uninterrupted in the face of political challenges.

“If a ministerial vacancy arises due to political circumstances, the deputy chairman will take the lead and ensure RTG meetings proceed without disruption,“ she told reporters at the National Athletes’ Welfare Foundation (YAKEB) Partners’ Aspiration Ceremony here today.

Mohamad Norza, who is Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president, previously co-chaired RTG alongside Hannah Yeoh since the programme’s inception in early 2023.

However, in a statement issued today, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) announced that Hannah will now serve as chairman, with Mohamad Norza stepping into the role of deputy chairman.

Earlier, KBS also announced the appointment of former National Sports Institute (ISN) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Ramlan Abd Aziz and former Malaysia Swimming Federation (MS) Secretary-General Mae Chen as RTG committee members for the 2025-2026 term.

The appointments of these two prominent figures in national sports were approved by the National Sports Council (NSC) Board of Directors last Thursday.