MEAP Boost For National E-Sports Athletes, Team Preparation

PUCHONG, July 10 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has allocated RM1 million for the implementation of the Malaysia Esports Accelerator Programme (MEAP), as an effort to support local e-sports teams that have successfully represented the country on the international stage.

Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Adam Adli Abd Halim said the initiative is the government's ongoing commitment to empowering local e-sports talents to compete at the world level.

"Currently, we have allocated RM1 million, of which RM300,000 is for the first phase and the remaining RM700,000 will be spent on the second phase.

"So for the RM300,000 (first phase), we will spend it on things like today's workshops and so on. In addition, there is additional support including logistics (for the teams involved),” he told the media after launching the MEAP programme here, today.

At the launch ceremony, nine local e-sports teams and players were announced as recipients of support funds amounting to between RM5,000 and RM40,000 to participate in international tournaments in various game categories.

Among the selected teams are Selangor Red Giants (SRG.OG), Homebois, and Navi Esports for the game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, while Nova Esports, Black Shrew Esports, and Alpha Gaming will compete in the game Honor of Kings.

All the teams involved are scheduled to participate in the E-sports World Cup currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Electronic Sports Federation (MESF) president, Muhammad Naim Al-Amin said his party welcomed the implementation of the MEAP programme and called on teams or players who qualify to take advantage of the opportunities offered.

According to him, any individual or team that will participate in international tournaments can submit applications to Esports Integrated (ESI) or directly to MESF to participate in the programme.

-- BERNAMA