GYM OPERATORS SHOULD PASS ON FEE CUT BENEFITS TO PUBLIC - HANNAH YEOH

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Bernama) -- Gym operators in the capital are encouraged to channel the benefits of the 80 per cent reduction in gym operating licence fees, which took effect on Jan 1, to the public through high-impact approaches such as offering membership discounts.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh suggested offering membership discounts for workout sessions between 6 am and 8 am and between 5 pm and 7 pm to encourage physical activity outside peak hours and help reduce urban traffic congestion.

She also urged gym operators to provide special rates or discounts for senior citizens to support active and healthy ageing.

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“This step reflects the MADANI Government’s commitment to strengthening a more active, inclusive urban ecosystem that supports the overall well-being of the people,” she said in a Facebook post today.

Based on the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), she said the public health burden is more concentrated in metropolitan and federal administrative areas, calling for more targeted and responsive urban policy approaches.

“Non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension continue to show worrying trends, especially in urban areas that face less active lifestyles and time constraints for consistent physical activity,” she said.

Hannah said the 2023 NHMS found that 32.6 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above, or around 6.86 million people, are overweight.

She said Kuala Lumpur had the country’s highest obesity rate at 40.6 per cent, followed by Putrajaya at 35.5 per cent and Labuan at 34.8 per cent.

Since January, gym operating licence fees in the capital have been cut to RM10 per square metre from RM50, following talks with industry players, including the Malaysian Gymnasium Operators Association (PPGM).

-- BERNAMA