KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari hopes the Lee Chong Wei Cup badminton tournament can be further strengthened and expanded in the future, involving more players and competitions at more levels.
In a post on his official Facebook page today, he described the tournament as a significant example of prioritising sports talent development at the grassroots level.
“I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup. I would like to congratulate Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, the sponsors and everyone involved for successfully organising a high-quality tournament.
“Competitions like this are a significant example of prioritising grassroots sports development. We need more competitive tournaments so our young players have the space and opportunity to compete, test their abilities and gain experience in a real competitive environment,” he said.
Mohammed Taufiq also stressed the importance of providing a conducive platform to develop the character and identity of young athletes from an early stage.
“As I have often emphasised, sport is not merely about winning or losing. More important than the result on the court is the platform we provide for young people to build experience, confidence and an athlete’s mentality,” he said.
He said the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) would continue to give serious attention to grassroots development programmes to ensure a sustainable pipeline of future national talent.
“This is about building a sporting ecosystem that is more competitive and inclusive and, most importantly, capable of producing more champions for Malaysia,” he said.
The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup, which began on Aug 29 and concluded yesterday, offered total prize money of RM104,000.
-- BERNAMA