Sun Life Malaysia, a life insurance and family takaful provider, has collaborated with Beyond Sport, a global organisation for social change through sports, to unveil the fresh new look of the Kuala Ampang Basketball Court in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. This initiative aims to foster active lives and bring more joy to local youths.
The court project is part of the regional CAD $1 million Hoops+Health programme by Sun Life and Beyond Sport, designed to encourage physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles through basketball.
This programme will be implemented in Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Vietnam throughout 2024, benefiting local communities with revitalised basketball courts, workshops for coaches, and capacity-building programmes for young basketball players.
The newly refurbished court was officially unveiled by Raymond Lew, CEO and President/Country Head of Sun Life Malaysia, Jason Chan, President of the Kuala Ampang Residents Association, and representatives from Sun Life Asia and Beyond Sport. Sun Life Malaysia executives and employees, Kuala Ampang residents, and local basketball coaches and players were also present at the event.
In his speech, Raymond Lew highlighted that the initiative aligns with Sun Life Malaysia’s business purpose of promoting healthier lives and represents their commitment to fostering youth wellness through sports. He emphasized that this endeavour aims to create an accessible and fun environment for local youths to maintain an active lifestyle, ultimately improving overall well-being. He also noted that basketball, being a great social sport, will not only promote healthier lifestyles but also foster community building.
This initiative responds to the 2022 Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance report, jointly released by Sun Life Malaysia, Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA), and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The report gave Malaysian children a D-grade rating for overall physical activity, highlighting the dire need to boost active youth lifestyles and improve the national health rating.
To enhance accessibility and safety for local community members, the court underwent a comprehensive renovation, including resurfacing, repair, repainting, and enhancements to facility assets such as courtside benches, cooling fans, road safety barriers, and lighting. The revitalised court is now a safer and more enjoyable space for Kuala Ampang residents.
Additionally, the regional education partner, ASA Foundation, will conduct a coach education workshop in June this year to help local youth coaches improve their skills and knowledge of using basketball to promote physical health and well-being among young people.
Sun Life Malaysia will also sponsor a six-week free basketball session for youths under 18 at the court, tailored to address barriers to sports participation, particularly targeting low-income communities.
“We are excited to open the new Hoops+Health basketball court at Ampang in partnership with Sun Life Malaysia, marking another milestone in our work to use sport to create positive social change and support healthy youth,” said Adam Burgess, Director of Programmes at Beyond Sport. “This refurbished court will hopefully become a hub for people of all ages, providing the community with a safer and more accessible place to play.”
Jason Chan, President of the Residents Association of Kuala Ampang, shared, “With the refurbishment, the court now looks bright, vibrant, and more importantly, it serves as a safe space to attract more young talent in the Kuala Ampang neighbourhood and surrounding areas to engage in sports. We would like to thank Sun Life for their contribution towards this community project.”