He said VSN2030 would breathe new life into the national sports arena with the concept of “From Community to Community”, involving all Malaysians, to plan the national sports strategy for the next 10 years.

“It will also continue the legacy of sports as a powerful tool of unity in the community and produce world-class champions as well as become the government’s official document in the country’s sports development,” he said when launching VSN2030 in conjunction with National Sports Day 2022 (HSN2022) here.

VSN2030 is a policy document with the concept of “sports democratisation”, with openness to receiving the views and voices of all parties, Ismail said.

“This document will be scrutinised from time to time to ensure it remains relevant in driving the Malaysian sports industry and to continue to shine until the year 2030,” he said.

Ismail also asked the youth and sports ministry (KBS) to further improve sports culture and achievements through several proactive efforts.

The efforts include offering scholarships and providing further study opportunities to outstanding athletes who have successfully won medals at the Malaysian Games (Sukma) level as well as international tournaments recognised by the government.

KBS should also look into selecting former athletes as physical education coaches and engaging them in the sports talent search initiative through the My Talent Identification (MyTID) programme, he said.

“Upgrading sports facilities to increase accessibility will indirectly facilitate active participation in sports activities,” he said.

Lastly, Ismail said that there will be a revision and regazetting of the First Schedule under the Sports Development Act 1997, to increase the types of sports listed as well as to include electronic sports (e-sports).