Plan for sports university to support Johor Sports Nation 2030

JOHOR BARU: Plans are being explored to establish a sports university in Johor as part of efforts to position the state as a high-performance sports hub in South East Asia.

State youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said the proposed it would strengthen Johor’s broader sports development ecosystem under its Johor Sports Nation 2030 aspirations, the Straits Times reported.

“However, a sports university is not a prerequisite to achieving this.

“It is a complementary component that can accelerate the state’s progress towards becoming an international sports development hub,” he said during the Johor state assembly sitting.

He said the initiative aligns with the aspirations of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim to elevate Johor into a regional sports powerhouse.

Hairi said the proposal remains subject to ecosystem readiness, current demands and a comprehensive feasibility study involving multiple stakeholders.

“This is crucial to ensure the university functions as a high-performance athlete development centre that benefits Johor and the wider region,” he said.

Johor State Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi recently suggested that Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) be upgraded into a sports university.

He was reported as saying that if a new sports university is established, it should be located in Batu Pahat to further strengthen athlete development in the state.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times