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SAFE sport has been widely spoken about in the media and among national athletes since the pandemic.
The Vibes became the first media outlet to speak with former national gymnast Sarina Sundara Rajah three years ago as she advocated for Malaysia to adopt the Safe Sport Act.
It is aimed at providing a safer and healthier environment for athletes to train, compete, and thrive following its successful implementation in the United States of America.
Since then, we have seen many athletes, as well as former athletes, coming forward with their horrifying experiences of abuse and harassment, mostly in the form of sexual misconduct.
But getting the act tabled in the Parliament is never part of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s plan despite her promise to prioritise it on her first day of duty.
She announced that she wished to embody safe sport as a code instead. This is because tabling a Safe Sport Bill requires a lengthy legislative process and existing laws suffice.
The Safe Sport Act was first championed by Hannah’s predecessor Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.
In December 2021, he told The Vibes that he was trying to get the act tabled before the 15th general election, but time was not on his side.
The act would not just cover sexual harassment, but other types of harassment and abuse, too.
It includes athletes' bias selection, racial discrimination, abuse of power, and physical abuse, among others.
In his recent podcast interview, he explains more about why he feels strongly about having the Safe Sport Act for Malaysia. – The Vibes, February 28, 2023
Presented by Petra News chief executive Datuk Zainul Arifin Mohamed Isa, executive director Datuk Ahirudin Attan (better known as Rocky Bru) and editor-in-chief Terence Fernandez
Produced by Shazmin Shamsuddin