Azman Seeks To Balance Sports Development With Academic Achievement In Paya Rumput

MELAKA, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Paya Rumput state seat, Datuk Azman Abidin, is determined to develop sporting talent, particularly in football, while balancing it with academic development, especially among young people.  

Azman, more popularly known as Tok Man, said he would work to nurture young sporting talent by maintaining and upgrading football fields in the constituency.

The political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he found that although Paya Rumput has many public fields, most are poorly maintained, limiting opportunities for local youths to take part in recreational activities.

However, he said youth involvement in sports, particularly football, should be balanced with academic pursuits and excellence to ensure better prospects for the younger generation.

"Beyond sports development, I also want to look at ways to improve sports infrastructure. There are many fields here, but they are not properly maintained. If we ensure they are well maintained, our young people can fully utilise these fields.

"At the same time, I believe education is essential, as knowledge stays with us for life," he told reporters here today.

He emphasised that young football talent should be developed to keep youths on the right track, while ensuring academic performance in Paya Rumput's primary and secondary schools remains a priority.

Earlier, he joined about 200 children at a Free Palestine-themed football clinic organised by Sahabat MADANI at Taman Teknologi Cheng here today.

Azman said the sports clinic not only nurtured children's interest in sports and instilled discipline, but also strengthened ties among parents in the local community.

On plans to improve academic achievement among young people in Paya Rumput, Azman said he would strive to raise the performance of local schools if voters gave him their mandate.

The Paya Rumput state seat is being contested by three candidates in the 16th Melaka state election: Azman, Perikatan Nasional’s Rafie Ahmad, and Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar of Parti Bersama Malaysia.

Polling is on Nov 14, with early voting set for Nov 10.

For updates on the state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/.

-- BERNAMA