The National Sports Policy 2009 is the country's sports development policy that develops two components in parallel with different emphases: Sport For All (grassroots participation) and High Performance Sport (international excellence). The Podium Programme, launched on 2 February 2016 under the Ministry of Youth and Sports and managed through the National Sports Institute, is the elite-athlete preparation programme under the High Performance Sport pillar. It is funded on a four-year cycle aligned with the Olympic Games cycle, targeting medals at the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.
- The National Sports Policy 2009 sets out eight objectives and develops Sport For All and High Performance Sport in parallel 'with different emphases'
- The Podium Programme was launched on 2 February 2016 as an elite-athlete preparation programme under the Ministry of Youth and Sports
- The 2016 Budget allocated RM75 million to the Podium Programme, announced by the Prime Minister on 23 October 2015
- On 31 March 2022, a funding injection of RM240 million over four years (RM60 million a year) was announced, covering 41 sports
- From January 2024, the monthly allowances of Podium athletes were converted into salaries with a minimum base salary of RM1,500 a month, EPF contributions and SOCSO protection
- Objective 8 of the National Sports Policy focuses on sports and events that 'have a high chance of success at the international level'
Who this applies to: National athletes and coaches, national sports associations, sports policymakers, sports journalists, and anyone who wants to understand how Malaysia funds its elite athletes versus grassroots development.
On this page
Every time a Malaysian athlete steps onto the Olympic podium, two different systems are in fact at work behind them — one that tries to get the whole population moving, and another that concentrates vast resources on the small handful capable of winning. Both live under the same policy document, but they are funded and measured in very different ways.
Understanding that difference is the key to understanding how Malaysia manages its sport.
What is the difference between the National Sports Policy and the Podium Programme?
The National Sports Policy is the umbrella policy. The current version, the National Sports Policy 2009, defines it as “a sports development policy towards the formation of a sporting culture and the strengthening of national integration through comprehensive community involvement and the achievement of excellence at the international level.” It sets out the goals, objectives and roles of every Government agency, non-Governmental body, sports association and individual.
The Podium Programme, on the other hand, is not a policy — it is an implementation programme. Launched on 2 February 2016 under the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), it is an elite-athlete preparation programme managed through the National Sports Institute (ISN). If the National Sports Policy is the constitution of the country’s sport, the Podium Programme is one of the specific implementation tools that supports the achievement of that policy’s goals, particularly Objective 8, which emphasises international excellence.
The policy itself is underpinned by a legal framework: the Sports Development Act 1997 (Act 576), which governs the registration and governance of sports bodies and establishes the office of the Sports Commissioner.
What are the two pillars of the National Sports Policy?
The National Sports Policy 2009 firmly states that the two components “shall be developed in parallel with different emphases.” This is the core division between grassroots development and elite sport.
| Feature | Sport For All | High Performance Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Culture of participation | Culture of achievement |
| Goal | An active and healthy lifestyle for the people | Excellence at international competitions |
| Example activities | Charity runs, aerobics, traditional games | National athlete training for the Olympics and Asian Games |
| Lead agency | Department of Youth and Sports | National Sports Council and National Sports Institute |
| Measure of success | Community participation rate | Medals and world ranking |
The Podium Programme sits entirely within the right-hand column. It is not designed to increase the number of people doing sport; it is designed to prepare the country’s most elite athletes so that they have a chance of winning at the international level.
How does the Podium Programme work?
The Podium Programme filters out the athletes and events with the best chance of winning, then gives them full scientific support. According to ISN, the programme provides biomechanics, physiology, sports psychology, nutrition, performance analysis, sports medicine, physiotherapy and research services to selected athletes.
The programme’s targets since its launch have been stated openly by ISN, among them:
- the country’s first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games;
- a top-ten placing at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games;
- more medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games than before;
- ten athletes ranked in the world’s top six; and
- sustainable sporting excellence beyond 2020.
This approach directly implements Objective 8 of the National Sports Policy, which directs the country to “give priority focus to types of sports and events identified as having a high chance of success at the international level.” The programme’s coverage is concentrated on sports identified as having high medal potential; under the funding cycle announced in 2022, coverage was reported to span 41 sports.
How much funding is channelled, and how is its cycle set?
Funding for the Podium Programme is channelled on a cyclical basis aligned with the calendar of major games, not as a single lump-sum allocation. Two major funding rounds have been announced publicly.
| Cycle | Amount | Announced | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Budget | RM75 million | 23 October 2015 | Nutrition, training facilities, sports science and coaching under ISN management |
| 2022 onwards | RM240 million | 31 March 2022 | Four-year period, equivalent to RM60 million a year, covering 41 sports |
The four-year structure is no coincidence — it tracks the Olympic Games cycle. By locking in funding for a full round, athletes and coaches can plan long-term preparation without relying on uncertain annual allocations, something ISN management has emphasised as a prerequisite for comprehensive scientific training.
What changed when allowances were converted into salaries?
In January 2024, KBS implemented a major reform to how Podium athletes are paid. The monthly allowances that had until then been in the nature of assistance were converted into salaries with a minimum base salary of RM1,500 a month, bringing athletes into the formal employment system.
The change brought two social protections that did not exist before:
- EPF contributions — 11 percent from the athlete and 13 percent from the National Sports Council as employer; and
- SOCSO protection.
As of January 2024, a total of 393 athletes were under the Podium Programme (307 regular athletes and 86 para athletes), on two-year contracts. The annual financial impact of this reform on the NSC is estimated at about RM16 million. Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh described it as meeting athletes’ demand for career security.
Who sets the targets and coordinates the funding?
The governance chain flows directly from the National Sports Policy. Objective 8 assigns the roles of each party clearly:
- The Ministry of Youth and Sports sets policy and allocations.
- The National Sports Council is “responsible for coordinating and implementing the development of High Performance Sport at all levels.”
- The National Sports Institute is “responsible for coordinating and implementing the development of sports science and medicine.”
- National sports associations develop their athletes, coaches and officials.
- The Olympic Council of Malaysia and the Paralympic Council of Malaysia are the parent bodies responsible specifically for selecting athletes for international games.
In other words, targets are set according to the events with the best chance of winning, funding is locked in by games cycle, and implementation is divided between the NSC (coordination), ISN (science) and the associations (athlete development). The Podium Programme is where all these threads meet for the country’s most elite athletes.
What’s next
If you are an athlete or coach, the most important step is to understand where you stand in this chain — your national sports association is the entry point to a recommendation for the Podium Programme, and Podium status now carries the implications of formal employment (salary, EPF, SOCSO), not merely an allowance.
For researchers and policymakers, two open questions are worth watching: how far the continued emphasis on High Performance Sport is balanced against investment in Sport For All at the grassroots, and how the performance of the RM240 million cycle is assessed when its term ends. Refer directly to the National Sports Policy 2009 document on the KBS website and the latest budget announcements for official figures, as allocation amounts change from cycle to cycle.
What is the difference between the National Sports Policy and the Podium Programme?
The National Sports Policy 2009 is the umbrella policy that sets the goals, objectives and roles of all parties in sports development, encompassing both Sport For All and High Performance Sport. The Podium Programme, by contrast, is a specific implementation programme under the High Performance Sport pillar, launched in 2016, that funds and provides scientific support to selected elite athletes targeting international medals.
When was the Podium Programme launched?
The Podium Programme was launched on 2 February 2016 under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as one of the high-performance programmes to prepare the country's elite athletes for international sporting events.
How much funding does the Podium Programme receive?
The 2016 Budget allocated RM75 million, announced on 23 October 2015. On 31 March 2022, a funding injection of RM240 million over four years — equivalent to RM60 million a year and covering 41 sports — was announced.
Do Podium athletes receive a salary or an allowance?
From January 2024, the monthly allowances of Podium Programme athletes were converted into salaries with a minimum base salary of RM1,500 a month, accompanied by EPF contributions and SOCSO protection. EPF contributions are set at 11 percent from the athlete and 13 percent from the National Sports Council, with an annual financial impact of about RM16 million on the NSC.
How are the Podium Programme's targets and funding set?
Targets are tied to the cycle of major games — the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games — and focus is given to sports identified as having a high chance of success, in line with Objective 8 of the National Sports Policy. Funding is channelled on a cyclical basis (for example RM60 million a year for four years), coordinated by the National Sports Council and supported by sports science from the National Sports Institute.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Senarai penuh jenis sukan yang diliputi Program Podium telah dibuang daripada draf ini kerana tiada sumber rasmi yang menyenaraikan sukan tersebut ditemui; sahkan senarai rasmi daripada ISN atau MSN sebelum ia dimasukkan semula.
- Sasaran Program Podium yang disenaraikan (Pingat Emas Tokyo 2020, 10 Teratas Gold Coast 2018 dan Jakarta 2018, dsb.) ialah sasaran era pelancaran seperti yang tersiar di laman ISN; sahkan sama ada ISN telah menerbitkan sasaran kitaran semasa yang dikemas kini.
- Bilangan atlet (393 — 307 biasa dan 86 para) serta terma kontrak dua tahun adalah angka setakat Januari 2024; sahkan angka terkini.
- Butiran dana RM240 juta / RM60 juta setahun / 41 jenis sukan bagi kitaran 2022; sahkan status pelaksanaan dan sama ada kitaran pembiayaan baharu telah diumumkan sejak itu.
Sources
- Dasar Sukan Negara 2009 — Kementerian Belia dan Sukan
- Program Podium — Institut Sukan Negara — Institut Sukan Negara
- Elaun bulanan atlet Program Podium ditukar kepada gaji — Hannah — Majlis Sukan Negara Malaysia
- Program Podium babit dana RM240 juta, untuk tempoh empat tahun — Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM)
- Akta Pembangunan Sukan 1997 (Akta 576) — Kementerian Belia dan Sukan
- Peruntukan RM75 Juta Program Podium Berbaloi — Dr Ramlan — mStar
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 1 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |