“This matter is the subject of police reports, so I have asked our commissioner (Sports Commissioner Suhardi Alias) to get an update from the police,” she told reporters at a sports forum here.

“It (the ministry’s stance) will be based on the police report.”

She also wanted to know if reports had been lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the matter.

SRU president Velayuthan Tan said last week that the state body would not take part in any activity or competition organised by MR until it responds to allegations about its financial accounts and the proceedings of its elections held last December.

In 2022, MR said it lodged a police report after discovering that a substantial sum of money had been allegedly siphoned from its bank account by a staff member.

SRU has also questioned the validity of MR’s annual meeting on Dec 2, saying no audited accounts were tabled before affiliate members of the national body.

Suhardi previously clarified that MR could hold its annual meeting without tabling its audited financial report to affiliate members if it secured the agreement of more than two-thirds of delegates to proceed with the meeting.

Meanwhile, Yeoh said the common challenge faced by female athletes and coaches, especially after marriage, was the lack of support – such as childcare – while they were involved in training and coaching.

In a bid to address the issue, Yeoh said her ministry had requested the National Sports Council (MSN) and National Sports Institute to create a dedicated childcare facility at the Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex and the KL Sports City.

“I hope that they won’t need to quit their roles as coaches or athletes with the existence of this support system,” she said.

Yeoh also said her ministry had given MSN the approval to commence a thorough review of coaches’ salaries.

Noting that coaches’ salary scales were last adjusted in 2014, she warned that Malaysia might lose its coaches to neighbouring countries unless they were paid well.