Kuala Lumpur: National Sports Council (MSN) deputy director-general Jefri Ngadirin is committed to using his existing experience to develop national sports as soon as he officially begins his duties as the new director-general of the national sports governing body starting April 4. Jefri, 52, described it as not an easy task and a huge responsibility, but he will do his best to fulfill all the plans made by MSN.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Jefri stated, “I started during the time of Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad and was given the responsibility of leading the Core Sports Unit until the time of Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz while the late Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong, Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail and finally Abdul Rashid Yaakub, had given a lot of guidance and advice on how to manage our national sports.”
Jefri expressed confidence that his experience and knowledge, combined with the cooperation of key stakeholders such as the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), Paralympic Council Malaysia (PCM), national sports association (NSA), state sports councils, Ministry of Education (MOE), and Ministry of Higher Education (KPT), can usher in a new phase for national sports development.
He shared these thoughts during an encounter at the MSN breaking fast ceremony in Bukit Jalil yesterday. On Thursday, MSN announced Jefri’s appointment as the 10th director-general to replace Abdul Rashid Yaakub, whose contract will expire on April 3. The announcement was made during the MSN Management Board meeting chaired by Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh.
Jefri began his career at MSN as an officer in the Development Division in 1993. He later pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at the University of Miami, Florida, United States, before returning in 1999 to continue his service at MSN. His previous roles at MSN include head of Core Sports Unit, director of the Talent Development Branch, and director of the Athletes Division, before being promoted to deputy director-general (Sports Development) on January 8, 2024.