KUALA LUMPUR – The increase in medical costs this year has significantly impacted nearly all Malaysians, including the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb).
It is understood that a significant amount had to be spent to cover the treatment costs for their members, who are former national athletes.
In 2024, it has been reported that medical costs in Malaysia have risen by approximately 12.6%, compared to the global average of 5.6% last year.
Speaking to Scoop, Yakeb chairman Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed said that although the agency received an allocation of RM 1 million from this year’s national budget, they have to spend prudently while ensuring that the welfare of the former athletes under their care is not neglected.
Earlier, the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) said that Yakeb has utilized 78.11 percent of its RM 1 million allocation from the government as of September.
Yakeb has spent RM 781,087.86 in providing assistance to 1,514 former athletes, covering medical support, death benefits, natural disaster relief, financial aid, education, career continuity, as well as skills and coaching training.
To cut medical expenses, all Yakeb members, since 2019, were required to visit government hospitals instead of private ones.
However, Noorul added that the members sometimes still need assistance and expertise from private hospitals to address specific health issues, as there are long queues when seeking treatment at government hospitals.
“This approach is beneficial for managing our expenses, but there are other constraints. Getting timely treatment at government hospitals is quite challenging sometimes because of the need to wait longer.
“We are trying to leverage the channels available to us to help secure quicker treatment for these former athletes. However, for certain critical illnesses, such as cancer, we must go to private hospitals for urgent care, and treatment for such conditions incurs significant costs,” Noorul said when contacted.
With the tabling of the 2025 Budget tomorrow, Noorul is hopeful that they will receive an increased allocation to better support the welfare of former athletes who can no longer fend for themselves.
Last year, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, announced that Yakeb would receive RM 5 million in funding to safeguard and protect the welfare of athletes and allocate resources.
However, the funds were provided in stages, according to Noorul.
“I hope we will receive RM 2 million, which is the remaining amount from the RM 5 million that was promised earlier. However, I also hope we will secure a consistent amount each year to facilitate our planning.
“I acknowledge that costs have indeed risen, but we are striving to manage our spending wisely, and so far, everything has been sufficient,” he added. October 17, 2024