KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Para Swimming Association (PREPMA) representing eight state Para swimming associations submitted a proposed development plan to the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) to be presented to the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) on Monday.
Its president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin said the development plan that will be presented to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh includes three components to empower the country’s Para swimmers.
“The components will include early exposure to more than 150 Para swimming events by introducing this sport to talents as young as 12 years old at the grassroots level.
“Secondly, we will focus on the strategy of increasing the number of female athletes to create ‘gender balance’ as advocated by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), in addition to aiming for the first medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games,” he said when contacted today.
Megat D Shahriman said MPC secretary-general Datuk R Subramaniam will represent PREPMA to present the plan.
In the meantime, he was optimistic that the 2024 Malaysia Games (Sukma) which will take place in Sarawak will feature more young talents who have the potential to be the country’s second-generation at international games.
Therefore, he said, PREPMA will work with state sports associations and state agencies for development at the grassroots level as well as work with the National Sports Council for the development of male and female elite athletes.
Yesterday, MPC had decided to transfer the governance of para swimming from the Malaysian Swimming Federation (MS) to PREPMA as of last Thursday.
The move was made in response to international developments and the government’s call to review the focus on swimming events and prepare for an international coalition when the international federation is formed by the end of 2026.-Bernama
