Yeoh Urges Local Govt Ministry To Aid Gym Operators

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Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has urged the Local Government Development Ministry to aid gym operators in their business and licensing issues.
Yeoh (above) stated that many of them can barely afford to maintain the licensing fee to operate gyms and sports centres due to their inexpensive membership charges.
“If they (gym operators) charge a membership of RM75 every month but the business licence is RM15,000, they will indeed close shop.
“Which is why we’re asking the Local Government Development Ministry to help them.
“If gyms are shut down, then sports enthusiasts will have nowhere to go,” Yeoh said at the Safe Sports Code signing ceremony in Selangor today.
The minister added that because of this, she suggested to the ministry to provide a fund of RM20,000 to help the operators financially.
Yeoh also told reporters that she has asked the Local Government Development Ministry to look into coordinating the licences fairly to accommodate all types of gyms.
“First, they struggle with the continuity of their businesses. Secondly, there is an issue with the licensing fee as different gym operators have different prices.
“There are gyms that are akin to beauty centres and spas that charge expensive fees.
“There are also gyms that are more affordable and don’t even charge the elderly and persons with disabilities to use their facilities,” she added.
Yeoh said this issue was brought to her attention after meeting with the Gymnasium Entrepreneurs’ Association Malaysia last January.
The meeting was regarding the Safe Sports Code, which was implemented on March 15.
The code is a guideline for a safe sports environment that emphasises the roles and responsibilities of all parties in dealing with any form of harassment and abuse.
Yeoh said the code outlines the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders such as athletes, coaches, sports bodies, parents, and sports-related organisations - as well as existing reporting mechanisms that all relevant individuals can use.
The code covers procedures to be adopted to handle complaints about harassment and abuse in the sports industry, in place of the proposed Safe Sports Act, which the ministry said will be introduced in the future. - Mkini

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