KUALA LUMPUR: As Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari and Mordi Bimol as the new Youth and Sports Minister and deputy minister respectively this afternoon, eyebrows were certainly raised.
Not because stakeholders were expecting Hannah Yeoh and Adam Adli to remain in their posts, but largely because the duo are fresh faces with a mammoth task ahead.
The announcement did not come as music to the ears of some sports administrators. As one said to the writer: “Want to know why sports in Malaysia is not competitive at the elite level? We reap what we sow. We don’t take something (position) seriously, but want elite-level results.”
There are those who believe the so-called “junior” youth and sports portfolio in Malaysia’s political landscape has always been about elite sports. In reality, it is quite the opposite.
For decades, the Youth and Sports Ministry has served as a training ground for future prime ministers, namely Anwar, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Barisan Nasional’s long reign in the corridors of power also saw the mushrooming of youth associations closely linked to the coalition. But BN was once supreme. Today, it struggles to convince.
The game plan at Menara KBS moving forward is therefore clear – Taufiq and Mordi must focus on youths who will make up a sizeable bloc in the upcoming 16th General Election. This group of voters were either not born during the early days of the Reformasi movement in 1998, or were too young to grasp the intent of the rally-goers at the first Bersih gathering in 2007.
Dr Taufiq, who turns 30 on March 6 next year, is the Sungai Petani MP and PKR Youth vice-chief. The medical doctor is also the son of Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. Kedah, a Pas-governed state, will be a crucial battleground for Dr Taufiq and his PKR colleagues as they seek to make inroads and win the hearts of voters.
DAP’s Mordi, meanwhile, is the MP for Mas Gading in Sarawak. His role will be equally critical, as Anwar’s government has made repeated attempts to further bridge Putrajaya with the governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
As for sports, the elite segment will largely be managed by national sports associations, with the National Sports Council – an agency under the ministry – stepping in where funding is concerned.
The upcoming 2027 SEA Games, meanwhile, is expected to be on auto-cruise, with the Malaysia SEA Games Organising Committee coordinating with state governments and vendors.
Yeoh’s new role as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) may be seen as a blessing in disguise for the two-term Segambut MP. She no longer needs to grapple with the doctored documentation fiasco involving the Football Association of Malaysia that drew global attention, nor justify her “any colour will do” medal target for the ongoing SEA Games in Thailand.
Instead, she now has the opportunity to push for local council elections – a long-standing cause championed by her party, DAP. She will also oversee planning and development in the Federal Territories, namely Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, and address long-standing issues involving, among others, hawkers, open spaces and parking woes in the Federal Territories.
Although still a deputy minister, Adam’s move to the Higher Education Ministry is widely seen as a step up the ladder. However, he too must rise to the occasion and make his presence felt.
Dr Taufiq can learn much from the moves – and missteps – of his predecessors. For a start, it is crucial that he fully understands his role as Youth and Sports Minister. Equally important is dropping the “minister knows best” mentality, as he could otherwise be consumed by advisers who themselves may still be grappling with the ministry’s scope, history, legacy issues, powerful personalities within associations, and the challenge of moving it forward.
With a general election looming within the next 12 months or so, there is little room for sweeping, radical changes. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Focus on the task at hand and allow other stakeholders to shoulder their responsibilities. Agencies under the ministry, such as the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia, must also play a more proactive role to justify their existence.
Transparency is key, as are accountability and integrity. These values cannot be selectively applied. Avoid the self-made ‘syiok sendiri’ bubble fuelled by party-friendly bots and paid followers. There is also no harm in reaching out and listening – especially when one lacks experience in running a ministry.
For sports enthusiasts, the hope is that this new duo will prioritise what matters most: grassroots and community sports. For youths, the focus will be on whether Putrajaya can address real bread-and-butter issues, such as the rising cost of housing, particularly in the Klang Valley, and whether so-called “approved investments” can truly translate into tangible economic opportunities.
All the best, Dr Taufiq and Mordi. Be warned: this will not be a walk in the park, and every move will be scrutinised during your temporary stay at Menara KBS.
New Cabinet line-up
Prime Minister: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Deputy Prime Minister I: Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy Prime Minister II: Datuk Fadillah Yusof
Prime Minister’s Department
Law and Institutional Reform
Minister: Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said
Deputy: M. Kulasegaran
Federal Territories
Minister: Hannah Yeoh
Deputy: Lo Su Fui
Sabah and Sarawak
Minister: Datuk Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmu
Religious Affairs
Minister: Dr Zulkifli Hasan
Deputy: Marhamah Rosli
Finance Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Minister II: Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan
Deputy: Liew Chin Tong
Rural and Regional Development Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy: Datuk Rubiah Wang
Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry
Minister: Datuk Fadillah Yusof
Deputy: Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad
Transport Ministry
Minister: Anthony Loke
Deputy: Datuk Hasbi Habibollah
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu
Deputy: Datuk Chan Foong Hin
Housing and Local Government Ministry
Minister: Nga Kor Ming
Deputy: Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu
Foreign Affairs Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan
Deputy: Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni
Works Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi
Deputy: Datuk Seri Ahmad Mazlan
Home Affairs Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
Deputy: Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah
Defence Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Deputy: Adly Zahari
Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry
Minister: Chang Lih Kang
Deputy: Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal
Women, Family and Community Development Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri
Deputy: Lim Hui Ying
Higher Education Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir
Deputy: Adam Adli Abd Halim
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing
Deputy: Chiew Choon Man
Communications Ministry
Minister: Datuk Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil
Deputy: Teo Nie Ching
Education Ministry
Minister: Fadhlina Sidek
Deputy: Wong Kah Woh
National Unity Ministry
Minister: Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang
Deputy: R. Yuneswaran
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry
Minister: Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali
Deputy: Fuziah Salleh
Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani
Deputy: Sim Tze Tzin
Digital Ministry
Minister: Gobind Singh Deo
Deputy: Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong
Health Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad
Deputy: Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib
Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry
Minister Steven Sim
Deputy: Datuk Mohamad Alamin
Economy Ministry
Minister: Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir
Deputy: Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup
Deputy: Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh
Plantation And Commodities Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad
Deputy: Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii
Human Resources Ministry
Minister: Datuk Seri R. Ramananan
Deputy: Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan
Youth and Sports Ministry
Minister: Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari
Deputy: Mordi Bimol
