“Furthermore, the budget was announced without obtaining data and feedback from the youth and sports ministry,” it said in a statement today.

“(A total of) RM20 million is insufficient for the construction of circuits in each state.”

The ministry’s statement comes after former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob slammed youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh for deciding not to proceed with building drag racing circuits in every state.

In August last year, Ismail Sabri said Putrajaya planned to build drag racing circuits in every state to boost motorsports in the country.

However, in a written parliamentary reply last Tuesday, Yeoh said her ministry did not plan to go ahead with the move as the government would have to bear high maintenance costs.

In its statement, the ministry also expressed concern over safety during drag racing.

“It is undeniable that drag racing circuits are a beneficial platform, but the safety of racers, spectators and all involved must take precedence,” it said.

Despite current financial constraints that impede the construction of new motorsport circuits, it said it is proactively finding ways to ensure that motorsports can be conducted in a safe and controlled manner.

In January, Yeoh said 15 racing tracks had been certified by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) as safe to be used for motorsports events.

Last December, a spectator was killed after being hit by a race car during the CCT Battle of Champions race at the Dato’ Sagor Circuit in Pasir Salak.

The spectator was killed when two of the 12 cars grazed each other during a turn, causing one to go off the track.

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