Ahmad Zahid Congratulates Takraw Team On Asian Cup Regu Title
KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has congratulated the national sepak takraw squad for clinching the Asian Cup 2025 regu title after defeating Thailand 2-0 in the final at Stadium Titiwangsa yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid said the victory was a repeat of the nation's triumph at the 2024 World Cup and expressed hope that the national squad will continue to progress and achieve more success on the world stage.
'Congratulations, our sepak takraw heroes! Alhamdulillah, once again we witnessed Malaysia defeating Thailand to lift the title — this time in the regu final of the Asian Cup 2025.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Sun
Jet ski race at PMR 2025 doubles as SEA Games qualifier
LUMUT: More than just a sporting event, the jet ski competition in conjunction with the Perak MADANI Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025 at Lumut Waterfront also serves as a qualifying platform to select athletes who will represent Malaysia at the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok later this year. Set against a strategic coastal location with open sea views, the competition will not only capture the attention of visitors but also enliven the atmosphere of the PMR themed 'Pendidikan Tinggi, Pemacu Negara MADANI'. The organiser of the extreme water sports activity, Norfirdaus Rafie, said the idea to hold the race came after he was invited by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), the lead ministry for Perak PMR 2025, to utilise the Lumut waterfront area to welcome the arrival of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this Sunday. 'Initially, we planned to hold a (sea) parade using jet skis to welcome the Prime Minister, but when I saw that it was merely a parade, I felt it wouldn't bring enough excitement to the programme. 'Therefore, I suggested that the programme be launched with a race event, which involves real competition with winners and losers,' he told Bernama here today. Norfirdaus, who previously won a silver medal in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia in the water sports event, explained that the race also serves as an important screening platform in the selection process for the national jet ski team ahead of the prestigious biennial games. 'As of today, over 20 jet skis have registered, not only from Perak but also from Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Terengganu. 'This is also part of their preparation to perform or qualify for selection to represent the country at the SEA Games in Bangkok,' said Norfirdaus, who will also participate in the upcoming qualifying event in Thailand. The competition is scheduled to take place over two days on Saturday and Sunday, featuring three main categories: 4 Stroke Roundbound Open, 4 Stroke Endurance Open, and 1100 Roundbound Open. Each race consists of 15 laps over an 800-metre course, lasting about 20 minutes. To ensure the safety of participants and spectators, Norfirdaus said five marshal jet skis will be deployed in cooperation with the Marine Police to ensure smooth operations throughout the two-day event. Interestingly, this year's event also revives old memories as Lumut Waterfront previously hosted a jet ski race during the Lumut Water Festival in 1997. 'Actually, the last time this competition was held at this same site was in 1997, during the reign of the late Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah. So, holding it again today brings back memories of jet ski racing in Lumut. 'So now I'm trying to revive this sport and reintroduce it to the public,' Norfirdaus said. He also hopes the presence of visitors at PMR 2025 will open the public's eyes to the potential of jet skiing in Malaysia and highlight the capability of local athletes to compete internationally. 'My hope is that the public will recognise Malaysia's potential in jet skiing, on par with regional countries like Thailand,' he said.

Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
Verstappen Tops First Practice at Canadian GP, Williams Surprise
BERLIN, June 14 (Bernama-dpa) -- Four-time defending champion Max Verstappen was fastest in the first practice on Friday for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, reported German news agency dpa. The Red Bull driver clocked 1 minute 13.193 seconds to beat the Williams of Alex Albon by 0.039s. Albon was a surprise in second and his team-mate Carlos Sainz completed the top three, giving Williams the best possible start to the race weekend. bootstrap slideshow Constructors' title holders McLaren, meanwhile, didn't show their full hand with Lando Norris in seventh and championship leader Oscar Piastri in 14th. Ferrari had Lewis Hamilton in fifth, while Charles Leclerc was 10th after having his time on track cut short due to a crash. The Monegasque spun and hit the barriers, bringing out the red flag 15 minutes into practice and causing a lot of damage to his car. Verstappen needs to be on his best behaviour for the next two races after he was hit with three penalty points on his licence at the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1, which leaves him just one point away from a race ban. Two of his penalty points will expire on June 30, moving him three points away from a race ban in time for the British Grand Prix on July 6. The Dutchman was punished for causing a collision with George Russell and he was also handed a 10-second penalty in the race.


The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Heart And Soul: Nostalgic memories of a thrilling hockey match 50 years ago
Do you have any real-life, heart-warming stories to share with readers? We'd love to hear from you. Please keep your story within 900 words. Photos are optional and should be in JPEG format (file size about 1MB, with caption and photo credit). There is no payment for stories, and we reserve the right to edit all submissions. Email your story to: lifestyle@ with the subject "Heart and Soul". Fifty years have passed since Kuala Lumpur hosted the 3rd Hockey World Cup from March 1 to 15, 1975. Although the dates were chosen for the expected dry season, frequent evening rains forced several matches to be rescheduled to the mornings to keep the tournament on track. While studying at Tunku Abdul Rahman College and using the Catholic High School premises in the afternoons, I often watched morning games at the Tenaga Nasional Berhad grounds in Jalan Pantai. One unforgettable moment was the simple yet striking opening ceremony on March1 at Merdeka Stadium – especially the Netherlands squad, who marched with vibrant orange umbrellas. Before taking their positions on the field, the Netherlands squad cleverly folded their vibrant orange umbrellas and arranged them to form the letters K and L – a striking tribute to Kuala Lumpur that delighted the crowd and showcased their creativity. The opening ceremony on March 1 was followed by the curtain-raiser match between host nation Malaysia and New Zealand. Malaysia was drawn into Pool A alongside Pakistan, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland and New Zealand, while Pool B featured India, Australia, West Germany, England, Argentina and Ghana. All matches were played on natural grass – artificial turf had yet to make its debut in the was a proud moment to see R. Pathmarajah from my home state of Pahang playing on the left flank for Malaysia – naturally, my cousin Rajan and I were cheering him on. The opening match ended in a scoreless draw – a solid start for the host nation. The most unforgettable match was Malaysia's 2–1 victory over defending champions the Netherlands at the TNB ground – a morning thriller witnessed by a record crowd of 12,000. Captain Sri Shanmuganathan sealed the win with a short corner goal just a minute before the final whistle. Malaysia secured second place in their group and a well-earned spot in the semi-finals. Due to bad weather, the semi-finals were rescheduled to the morning and played at Merdeka Stadium before a crowd of 40,000. Malaysia fought valiantly but narrowly lost 2–1 to India – a bittersweet end to a courageous World Cup campaign that made the nation proud. On Saturday, March 15, India faced arch-rivals Pakistan in a sunlit final at a packed Merdeka Stadium. Malaysia's own G. Vijayanathan, then the world's top umpire, officiated alongside France's Alan Renaud – a proud moment for the country. In a gripping match, India edged out Pakistan 2–1 to claim the title. It was a truly unforgettable 15 days of world-class hockey in 1975 – a sporting spectacle still vivid in my memory, even after half a century. I feel fortunate to have witnessed it firsthand. The brilliance of our men's hockey team in 1975, along with the football team's Olympic qualification in Munich 1972, remain among Malaysia's proudest sporting moments. In hindsight, had today's teams carried the same spirit and cohesion, we might still be a formidable force – rather than merely reliving past glories.