KUALA LUMPUR – The government’s decision to retain the Sports Matching Grant and raise funding for the Rakan Muda Programme by 60% under Budget 2026 underscores its commitment to developing national sports and empowering young Malaysians, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said today.
Hannah described the RM580 million allocation to the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) as a strong vote of confidence from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the ministry’s ongoing programmes — a substantial leap from last year’s RM230 million.
“We (KBS) are happy that our wish has been fulfilled when the Sports Matching Grant is maintained.
“The Road to Gold programme has also received an increase of RM2 million — from RM10 million this year to RM12 million,” Hannah told reporters after attending the National Sports Day 2025 (HSN2025) opening ceremony at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah in Ipoh today, reported Bernama.
She said the Rakan Muda Programme will see the most significant boost, with RM40 million allocated compared to RM25 million last year, allowing for expanded initiatives to develop youth skills and reduce unemployment.
“We have identified many youth groups who are not fluent in English, so we will use the Rakan Mahir programme’s additional allocation to strengthen preparations and empower the youth,” Hannah said.
Anwar, who also serves as Finance Minister, officiated the National Sports Day launch, which was attended by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
When tabling Budget 2026 in Parliament yesterday, Anwar announced the RM580 million allocation for KBS as part of the government’s broader push to strengthen grassroots participation, support elite athletes, and expand youth empowerment programmes nationwide.
Hannah said the increased funding would not only bolster high-performance initiatives like Road to Gold but also ensure youth development remains a national priority. — October 11, 2025