The matter was agreed upon at a meeting of the Cabinet committee on sports development that he chaired today, Zahid said in a statement.

“It is a significant step towards reinforcing the principles of equal opportunity and human development without discrimination,” he said.

He added that approval was also given for the setting up of an Orang Asli sports excellence centre.

The National Sports Council will collaborate with the education ministry on the sports centre project that will see SMK RPS Betau in Kuala Lipis designated as the main training hub to nurture and develop Orang Asli athletes.

At the meeting several other key issues, including preparations for Malaysia’s contingents for the 2025 SEA Games and Asean Para Games, were also discussed.

Zahid said the athletes’ performance was evaluated and strategies to enhance competitiveness and medal achievements at both regional and international levels were discussed.