"Hanya alasan!" - Kenyataan MAS kepada Pandelela tidak wajar

KUCHING: Kenyataan Setiausaha Agung Persekutuan Renang Malaysia (MAS) Andy Low kepada ratu terjun negara Datuk Pandelela Rinong dianggap tidak wajar.

Menteri Belia, Sukan dan Pembangunan Usahawan Sarawak Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata Pandelela telah banyak menyumbang jasa dalam sukan terjun sehingga ke peringkat antarabangsa.

"Untuk Pandelela sampai ke tahap itu bukan mudah, mereka perlu mental yang kuat dengan latihan hampir setiap hari.

"Kalau nak kata dia (Pandelela) hanya mahu makan gaji, rasanya dia boleh dapat lebih banyak sebab berdasarkan pengalaman yang dia ada, dia boleh menjadi jurulatih malah lebih daripada itu. Tidak perlulah pegawai-pegawai ini memperkecilkan atlet sebegini," katanya dalam sidang media di sini hari ini.

Pandelela sebelum ini dilapor mendakwa ada "entiti" yang mengganggu kem terjun Malaysia sekali gus menjadi punca terhadap prestasi hambar mereka di Kejohanan Akuatik Dunia di Doha, Qatar baru-baru ini.

Dalam kenyataan balasnya, Andy dilaporkan berkata penerjun negara itu hanya memberi alasan bagi menutup kegagalan di Doha kerana pihaknya tidak pernah dimaklumkan mengenai masalah yang dihadapi atlet sebelum kejohanan berlangsung.

-- BERNAMA

Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Costing The Silent Threat of Obesity

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia are a growing burden on the health system, with a number of associated health issues and economic costs.

The annual cost of healthcare for NCDs is estimated to be over RM 9.65 billion. Meanwhile, the cost of disability and loss of healthy life years is estimated to be around RM 100.79 billion. Absenteeism due to NCDs is estimated to cost the Malaysian economy RM 2.6 billion annually.

From the common NCDs, obesity is one of THE most significant health threats, with nearly 20% of the Malaysian population currently classified as obese.

Additionally, more than half of all adults (54%) are overweight or obese. According to the World Obesity Atlas, this figure could rise to 41% in Malaysia by 2035, if preventive action is not taken.

Niaga Spotlight focuses on immediate strategies to address this growing silent threat of Obesity, which also burdens the national healthcare system as well as national productivity levels with significant impacts and costs.