SHAH ALAM, Dec 30 — The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions for athletes under the Podium Programme will help reduce the National Athletes Welfare Foundation’s (Yakeb) burden in ensuring their welfare.
Its chairman Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed said EPF contributions are athletes’ future savings for retirement, while Socso contributions will help preserve their welfare if they encounter accidents, injuries, or other diseases.
“They will indirectly reduce Yakeb’s burden,” he told the press at the 2023 KTM KOMUTER Football Championship today.
Ariffin added the foundation will still channel assistance to athletes to guarantee their welfare.
Previously, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh had announced the implementation of the contributions effective January next year, after it was decided by the National Sports Council’s management board following the passing of a review of the allowance scheme for national athletes.
She said the contributions would be a gamechanger implemented by the government as no other previous programme allowed national athletes to contribute to EPF and Socso.
On the 2023 KTM KOMUTER Football Championship, Ariffin said it is the best initiative to get former athletes to interact with the public, something that previous badminton and netball championships had previously done.
“Our hope in Yakeb is that corporations or government agencies will help former athletes integrate with the community,” he said.
— Bernama
