PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan Youth should focus on key people-centric issues rather than trivial matters such as airing live international football matches on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) station.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said there were other pertinent things that they could offer such as job opportunities for young Malaysians.
"It is not cheap to have a live broadcast of these matches as it can come up to hundred of millions or even billions of ringgit.
"It is impractical. They should be looking at the bigger issues, not issues like this.
"The government station is owned by the people. We have to ensure the public funds will benefit the people," he after the pre-launch of the Malaysian Cybergames 2018 today.
Salleh added the government did not stop other stations such as Astro from airing the English Premier League (EPL) games.
To a question, Salleh said mature young Malaysians would not focus on a single issue to decide on their future.
He added they wanted a stable nation, economic opportunities and a secure future.
Asked if the opposition had run out of ideas by focusing on trivial matters, Salleh did not deny it.
"We should not politicise everything. Politics is a serious business."
Pakatan Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was reported as saying that EPL matches would be aired for free on national TV should the opposition win the 14th general election.
Leaders including Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has described it as a waste of public funds, saying the money could be used to develop the country's sports industry instead.