Malaysian MP Calls For Equal Treatment & Support For Esports Athletes

During a parliamentary session in the House Of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), Bangi Member Of Parliament (MP) Syahredzan Johan spoke out about how esports (and esports athletes) should receive more official support and acknowledgement in Malaysia.

He said:

“The purpose of ESI (Esports Integrated) is to spearhead the development of esports in Malaysia. There is massive potential for esports in Malaysia and we can see how local esports athletes, as well as local esports teams, have managed to make a mark in international esports competitions.

Moreover, at last year’s Asian Games, esports contributed two medals for the country, including silver and bronze. We should look to esports as a sport that can contribute medals for the country, especially when esports are featured in international sports competitions like the Asian Games.

Appropriately, esports athletes should be given more recognition and support, just as much as conventional sports athletes.

At the same time, we should also strive to develop esports at the community and grassroots level. I have noticed that the grassroots of esports is still disjointed.

As such, I hope that ESI will play a more prominent role, not only in organizing more competitions or providing hubs and facilities but also involved more directly in observing esports at the grassroots level.

As an example, representatives should organize more esports competitions, including myself.

The youth are joining competitions like these, but we need a body or organization that can discover and develop new talent. This doesn’t only apply to scouting by commercial esports teams, but also under governmental bodies such as ESI.

There needs to be more coordination for ESI for competitions and tournaments at the grassroots level because I believe that if we help nurture local esports talent, we can deliver more world-class esports athletes.”

Previously, he also voiced out how the Government can do more to support the games industry in Malaysia.

For more from Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, we also had the opportunity to interview him last year about esports and gaming in general, so head on over here for that.