KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) – The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will continue to support national track cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang even though the athlete has turned professional.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the support and assistance extended to the cyclist nicknamed ‘The Pocket Rocketman’ includes health and training.
“We will always be in touch with him to ensure all assistance and all forms of facilities we can provide to ensure he continues to make Malaysia proud,” he said.
Dr Mohammed Taufiq told reporters after launching the KBS Esports Fund (DEK) 2026 and the Malaysia Esports Accelerator Programme (MEAP) 2026 in Puchong, today.
He was also impressed by the energetic cycling displayed by the two-time Olympic medalist when he won the men’s keirin event at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Cycling World Cup 2026 in Perth, Australia, recently.
Apart from winning the keirin event, Mohd Azizulhasni also added another medal collection from Perth by winning the men's sprint bronze.
The 38-year-old cyclist from Terengganu decided to leave the national track cycling squad and continue his career by moving professionally in April last year.
Meanwhile, Dr Mohammed Taufiq said KBS had allocated funds totaling RM1 million for DEK 2026 and RM500,000 for the MEAP 2026 programme.
He said DEK 2026 aimed to support various projects in the e-sports championship and digital content development categories while MEAP 2026 was to support and prepare selected local teams and players to compete at the international level.
He said the two initiatives were indeed complementary in the government's strategic efforts to develop the country's e-sports industry comprehensively to the international level.
Esports Integrated (ESI) chief executive officer Ahmed Faris Amir said his party is committed to translating the aspirations of DEK and MEAP into structured implementation through strategic collaboration with industry players, game publishers and the private sector.
ESI is an initiative under KBS that aims to develop a sustainable, inclusive and competitive e-sports ecosystem.
-- BERNAMA
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