KOTA KINABALU, Aug 17 — After news that Sabah’s top Under-18 school football team may not get to further their winning streak at the national school-level tournament due to a lack of funds for air transportation, the Sabah Education Department is now taking action to assist the team.
Its director Raisin Saidin said the department is trying its best to look for funds for the team, which is from the state’s interior district of Keningau to fly to Johor for the National School Sports Council (MSSM) football tournament next week.
Raisin said they would check whether they have any funds left to channel to the team but if not, they will look for alternative sources.
“I have already contacted the Education Ministry to ask for extra funding and its sports and arts curriculum section has given some positive feedback,” he told reporters after attending the Sabah School Management Appreciation (Mapens) ceremony here.
“I am confident they will be able to make it, we are working on it,” he said.
The team will require some RM30,000 for the entire team including 20 students to make the trip.
Raisin acknowledged that although lack of funding was common among most schools in the country, those in Sabah did not have the option of taking buses or going via land routes.
“But we still have time because the tournament is next week. We still have some time to look for the funds to send the team to Johor,” he said.
He said the district education departments should be able to get grants which are disbursed in stages. Alternatively, they will also work with the private sector to raise money.
“It is just that this is a bit of an urgent case,” he said.
The issue first came to light when the team’s football coach, posted on Facebook that his Keningau Under-18 team was unable to compete in the national MSSM despite winning the state tournament due to lack of funds.
“What will be our fate here?... Keningau has become champions of the Under-18 (state tournament)
“Pity my fellow coaches and players, they are feeling down. What’s the use of becoming the state champion?,” said Naimmi Yusof.
Naimmi said the Under-15 squad was also in danger of not competing in its category at the national MSSM.
Raisin proposed that in the future, the parents, community and private sector in education (PIBKS) could be more involved in such competitions.
