Kota kinabalu: The Sabah Ministry of Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy today distributed an annual grant of RM3.1 million to 51 sports associations in the state that are registered under the Sports Commissioner's Office. Its Minister, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, called on the associations to use the financial assistance from the Sabah government to carry out athlete development programmes efficiently and responsibly.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nizam emphasized the importance of prudent use of the allocated funds, urging associations to ensure that the grant is not wasted. He reminded the associations that the funds are the people's money and stressed the need for thorough planning, scrutiny, and committed implementation of their programmes. Nizam also highlighted the necessity for the associations to provide genuine reports and data on their expenditures, which could further aid in the development of sports quality in Sabah.

The remarks were made during a ceremony where the 2025 National and International Sports Victory Incentive Scheme and the 2026 Sabah State Sports Association Grant were presented. Nizam also announced that the state government awarded incentives totaling RM807,050 to Sabah athletes who excelled throughout 2025. This included RM269,850 for able-bodied athletes and RM537,200 for Para athletes.

Nizam expressed his congratulations to all athletes who secured medals for Sabah and Malaysia over the past year, acknowledging their hard work and achievements on behalf of the Sabah government.