There was a sense of deja vu for Nur Jasni Mohamed as he attended the Sports Industry Job Convention held in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday.
Slightly over a decade ago, his company, Sportswork Group Sdn Bhd, organised the Sports Industry Convention at a hotel in the city’s Golden Triangle.
The then youth and sports minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek saw the potential of the sports industry and initiated the convention in 2009.
“The idea then was to promote the concept of a homegrown, sports industry. It was a platform to get as much information as we could about the industry,” said Nur Jasni, co-founder and managing director of Sportswork Group.
“Ahmad Shabery had managed to persuade the Cabinet to get the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) and the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) to carry out a sports industry lab (in 2010).
“They came up with something … fast-track activities and long-term plans. That was then. Fast forward many years later, nothing happened.”
Former Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, had, during his brief stint in office, reignited the sports industry conversation.
“Reezal Merican introduced the Sports Industry Secretariat. This was the first time the industry was recognised by the ministry in such a manner.
“I’m happy that the conversations are happening, but the biggest challenge of all is the Youth and Sports Ministry itself. The ministry is both the catalyst and the one killing the industry.
“This is because some of the decision-makers within (the ministry) don’t believe in the sports industry. They may not be personally against it, but the sports industry is not part of the ministry’s mandate. Just look at the ministry’s vision.”
The ministry’s vision, as reflected on its website, reads: “To create a prosperous and united Malaysia through youth development and sports culture.”
“For as long as the ministry has unity, and the feel-good factor as its vision, no one will have the mandate to look at the ministry in a big way.”
Nur Jasni, who was appointed to the Panel of Experts in March, admitted that the committee had only met once. The panel was set up during Reezal Merican’s time in office.
“We had one meeting thus far, an introduction meeting. There have been some engagements but no formal get-together. Maybe it’s because there has been a change in minister.”
Following a change of leadership in Putrajaya three months ago, Reezal Merican was named Housing and Local Government minister, while Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu occupied the top seat at Wisma KBS.
“As for last Saturday’s convention, I felt it was well organised. There were breakout sessions and exhibitions showcasing local sports products, including sports technology.
“But, the fact that it was held on a Saturday, shows that some people still don’t understand the sports industry. Sports take place over the weekends.
“And if the ministry’s vision is just about unity, then I should be talking to the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) or the Finance Ministry, or even the Economic Planning Unit, as they are the main drivers of the economy in the country.
“The Youth and Sports Ministry itself needs a major transformation. I’m not referring to personnel, but its presence, and its vision. Otherwise, the stakeholders need to start engaging those beyond this ministry.”
He said there was adequate information about the sports industry worldwide, and that more attention should be placed on harvesting data on the local sports industry. Data obtained last year from MITI showed that 32.7 million Malaysians spent RM430 million on sports and leisure.
“I still remember what Ahmad Shabery once said; that he hoped there would not be a need for a Sports Ministry to democratise sports, and for the industry to stand on its own,” he added.
