MELAKA: The Melaka government hopes that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) can approve the proposal for the construction of a weightlifting gymnasium in Nyalas for the development of the sport in an effort to produce more talents who can reach greater heights.

Asahan assemblyman Fairul Nizam Roslan said the construction of the new training centre was crucial in order to provide a more conducive and comfortable facility for the state’s athletes under the Nyalas Weightlifting Club, who are currently using the Asahan Japerun Hall as a makeshift training centre due to the lack of a place to train.

“Under this club, we also have more than 30 backup athletes who train in addition to 13 state athletes who are currently attending the State Sports School (SSN), SMK Seri Kota.

“Their performance has been excellent, for example, Nurul Syasya Khairina Samsur who made history as the first athlete from Melaka to win gold for weightlifting at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2022,“ he told reporters at the Selandar Community Activity Centre here, today.

Earlier, Fairul Nizam officiated at the closing ceremony of the 2023 Short Term Skills Course (KKJP) for the Alor Gajah Parliamentary constituency and the ceremony to fete athletes from the Nyalas Weightlifting Club who made Melaka proud at the National Youth, Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championships in Rompin, Pahang recently.

Fairul, who is also Nyalas Weightlifting Club advisor, said a suitable location next to Asahan Japerun Hall had been identified for the construction of the gymnasium,

He said that the gymnasium would not only function as a training centre but also a platform to provide exposure to sports knowledge as a whole, as well as being equipped with dormitory facilities for future use.

“We are also grateful to the Melaka chapter of the National Sports Council (MSN) who have allocated more than RM70,000 to provide all the equipment and hardware for the sport of weightlifting,” he added.- Bernama