PUTRAJAYA: Newly appointed National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Arrifin Ghani is set to strengthen high-performance programmes to build on Malaysia's recent sporting successes ahead of upcoming major competitions.
Arrifin, who assumed his duties today, said he has no plans for drastic changes to the existing structure, but will review areas for improvement to maintain the national athletes' winning momentum.
He said his experience returning to lead the NSC after serving as Sports Commissioner will be put to good use in strengthening athletes' preparations, with priority given to providing the best support to help them achieve peak performance internationally.
"We will continue the momentum from our success at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, and strive to improve further. Our next major event is the SEA Games next year. As hosts, we do not just hope to win, but to win convincingly," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after the Jalur Gemilang handover ceremony for the Malaysian contingent to the Dakar Youth Olympic Games (Oct 32-Nov 13) at Menara KBS here today.
On preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games, Arrifin said the implementation of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme could be reviewed to ensure elite athletes receive the attention, opportunities, and support needed to achieve their targets.
"We must recognise that we do not have 100 super-elite athletes. When we have 20 or 30, we need to take good care of them.
"As a former athlete, I know how motivating it is to be given opportunities and room to grow. As administrators, our job is to ensure they are 100 per cent ready, and we hope they can deliver their best performances at the Olympics," he said.
Earlier, the ministry announced a portfolio swap between Arrifin and Jefri Ngadirin, who took over as Sports Commissioner, as part of a restructuring exercise to strengthen governance and the national sports ecosystem.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari said the reshuffle was neither sudden nor a unilateral decision, but followed a comprehensive deliberation process involving the NSC board and top management.
"The reshuffle required a process, although we did not announce it publicly. It was not a decision made by one party or an individual, but a collective decision that took various factors into account," he said.
Taufiq said the restructuring assigns new roles based on their respective experience and expertise without reducing their responsibilities, as part of efforts to strengthen sports administration and preparations for the 2027 SEA Games. – BERNAMA
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