PH candidate seeks sports development boost for Paya Rumput

Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate for the Paya Rumput state seat, Azman Abidin, is determined to develop sporting talent, especially in football, and balance it with the necessary academic development, for youths.

Azman, popularly known as Tok Man, said he would work to nurture young sporting talent by maintaining and upgrading football fields in the constituency.

The political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he found that although Paya Rumput has many public fields, most are poorly maintained, limiting opportunities for local youths to take part in recreational activities.

However, he said youth involvement in sports, particularly football, should be balanced with academic pursuits and excellence to ensure better prospects for the younger generation.

“Beyond sports development, I also want to look at ways to improve sports infrastructure. There are many fields here, but they are not properly maintained. If we ensure they are well maintained, our young people can fully utilise these fields.

“At the same time, I believe education is essential, as knowledge stays with us for life,” he told reporters here today.

He emphasised that football talent should be developed to keep youths on the right track, while ensuring academic performance in Paya Rumput’s primary and secondary schools remains a priority.

Earlier, he joined about 200 children at a Free Palestine-themed football clinic at Taman Teknologi Cheng here.

Azman said the sports clinic not only nurtured children’s interest in sports and instilled discipline, but also strengthened ties among parents in the local community.

The Paya Rumput state seat will see a three-cornered contest with Azman going up against Perikatan Nasional’s Rafie Ahmad, and Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar of Bersama.

The Election Commission has set Nov 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, with early voting taking place on Nov 10.

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