SPORTS MINISTRY "NO" ON HELP TO GET ISSF ENDORSEMENT FOR ISLAMIC YOUTH GAMES

KEMAMAN, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- The Youth and Sports Ministry will not get involved in the matter of seeking the endorsement of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) for the proposed World Youth Islamic Solidarity Games to be organised by a private company in 2011, Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said today.

He said the ministry felt that the games have yet to merit priority attention from the ministry as there was no plan for the country to host the event.

The organiser had sought the assistance of the ministry to get the ISSF endorsement for the games, expected to be organised at a cost of RM100 million.

"It is up to the ISSF. We (the ministry) do not want to get involved," he told reporters after opening a "kopitiam" (coffee shop) in Chukai, here.

Ahmad Shabery, who is the Member of Parliament for Kemaman, said the ISSF would not show much interest if the games were organised by the private sector and not the government.

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A total of 57 Islamic countries are expected to be invited to participate in the games.

On another matter, Ahmad Shabery proposed that the Terengganu government promote Kemaman as a town of kopitiam because the coffee served at these shops in the district were of a special quality which kindled the taste buds of not only the people in the state but also elsewhere.

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