New hosting model for Sukma being considered to replace rotation system
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the change aims to ensure there is continuity in sports contested at the games to create a clear development pathway for athletes.
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The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Pushing for e-sports in schools
Mohd Najwan says no final decision has been made regarding Sukma e-sports venue. E-SPORTS may soon be an extracurricular option for students in Selangor, says state youth, sports and entrepreneurship committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi. He said discussions were underway with the National Sports Council and Youth and Sports Ministry to include e-sports as a core sport in the Malaysia Games (Sukma). 'Currently, e-sports is classified as an optional sport in Sukma Selangor 2026. It was introduced at Sukma Sarawak last year,' he said. He added that the state was collaborating with the Education Ministry to introduce e-sports into school-level competitions under the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) framework. 'Currently, there are no official regulations for incorporating e-sports into schools as part of co-curricular activities. 'That is why we are pushing the two ministries to act,' he said at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) silver jubilee celebration at Dataran Kemerdekaan in Shah Alam. To foster talent at the grassroots level, Mohd Najwan said Selangor recently hosted the Selangor Future Cup, a state-organised e-sports tournament in February which welcomed over 60 secondary schools across the state. The tournament was aimed at identifying and nurturing emerging talent that can eventually join the Selangor Red Giants, the state's e-sports team. On the project to convert the former Carlton Hotel in Section 13, Shah Alam into an e-sports hub for Sukma, Mohd Najwan said it was delayed due to unresolved administrative and ownership issues with the hotel's previous operator. He added that no final decision has been made regarding the Sukma e-sports venue. 'However, state officials are exploring options such as convention centres in Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya.'
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Medals today mean nothing if tomorrow's athletes never emerge
The idea of fast-tracking foreign-born athletes to represent Malaysia has long tempted policymakers. It promises quick results, media buzz, and a brief lift in national pride. The latest push came after youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh told Parliament that naturalised athletes are allowed in all sports if they meet set criteria. She stressed that this must be balanced with nurturing homegrown talent. Her remarks reignited debate about whether quick fixes are worth the long-term cost. The danger is simple: if we confuse hiring talent with developing it, Malaysia will win on paper but lose in spirit. Quick fixes, fragile foundations Singapore's experience is a warning. Since 2005, it has recruited athletes from China, Eastern Europe and beyond, mainly in table tennis, badminton, and athletics. The medals came. So did unease. Critics questioned whether victories reflected Singaporean sporting culture, and whether local talent was being squeezed out. Malaysia risks making the same mistakes, but with less infrastructure and weaker grassroots systems. Naturalisation isn't wrong by itself. Many countries use it to fill gaps in elite sport. Where it works — in Qatar's athletics programme or some US Olympic sports — it is supported by strong domestic pipelines. Malaysia's system is uneven. State-level competitions have shrunk. School sports budgets are patchy. Scouting pathways are inconsistent. Too often, the conversation starts at the top: how to fund training for medal hopefuls. The harder question is ignored: how do we get thousands more children into sport in the first place? Without that base, naturalisation becomes a crutch. And when the imported athlete retires or leaves, little remains except memories. Lessons from elsewhere China's 'foreign help' in football has not delivered real success. It failed because coaching, league standards, and grassroots participation were still weak. Japan's rugby boom in the 2010s did involve naturalised players. But it rested on decades of investment in schools, universities, and clubs. Imported stars lifted the game for everyone. They didn't replace locals. The difference lies in intent. Naturalisation can work if it speeds up local development. If it becomes the main plan, sport turns transactional: talent is bought, glory claimed, and the public loses connection with its own team. The voices we ignore at our own peril Malaysians rally behind athletes who feel like 'our own' — even if they weren't born here — when there's a visible, authentic link. Think of the footballers who stayed, coached, and built families here. But parachuting in athletes just for competition risks alienating fans. That's especially true when local players still fight for basic resources. For every naturalised podium-finisher, hundreds of locals scrape for small sponsorships and pay for their own equipment. They see imported excellence rewarded while local dedication is sidelined. Grassroots advocates say the real race is not for today's gold medals, but for tomorrow's depth. Without early access and nearby facilities, Malaysia cannot sustain elite success, no matter how many athletes it imports. Sports reform advocate Dina Rizal has long argued that the fix starts with schools and communities. 'It's about making sport part of daily life, not an occasional event,' he says. His point is blunt: if fewer kids play at seven, fewer champions will emerge at 17. Grassroots work isn't romantic. It's the bedrock of national sporting policy. Local leagues, inter-school tournaments, and coaching clinics are not 'nice-to-have' extras. They are the factories that produce athletes with skill, identity, and loyalty to the flag. A reform agenda that works If Malaysia is serious about reform, naturalisation should be one tool in a bigger plan. Rebuild school sports leagues so every district has annual competitions. Fund grassroots coaching and create real career paths so talent developers aren't lost to better-paying jobs. Pair naturalised athletes with mentorship roles so their skills are passed on. Boost community-level sponsorships, not just elite funding. Map talent early and track it all the way to the top. Choosing the harder road Naturalisation will always tempt leaders because it skips the slow work. But a sporting nation is measured not by how quickly it can buy glory, but by how well it can grow champions. If Malaysia wants medals that matter, it must invest in people before podiums. That means naturalisation takes a supporting role, not the lead. It means children in small towns see sport as part of daily life, not a distant dream. Chasing medals without a long-term map will only bring us back to the same question: what went wrong? The harder road is the better one. And if we take it, the medals will still come — only this time, they will be ours in every sense of the word. These steps are slower and less glamorous than unveiling a star import. But they are the only way to build lasting strength, not just headline wins. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Perak gains edge as SUKMA 2026 may reintroduce petanque, Muay Thai, silambam
IPOH: The Selangor government's proposal to include three additional sports, namely petanque, Muay Thai and silambam, in the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) is seen as giving Perak an advantage in securing more medals at the biennial sporting event. State Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah said this is because the three sports proposed for re-listing are among those that have contributed a significant medal haul for Perak. 'In addition, we hope this will serve as a major motivation, especially for enthusiasts of these three sports, to continue promoting them so they become popular and are consistently featured in future SUKMA editions. 'Whatever it is, we hope that when the Selangor government's proposal is tabled at the SUKMA Supreme Committee Meeting, it (addition of these sports) will be approved, as it needs to be decided at the meeting,' he told reporters. Earlier, Khairudin had witnessed LSP Pro Skill Academy receiving recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) for the 'Most House Retail Stores In A Computer Training Academy 2025'. Yesterday, Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi was reported as saying that the state government had agreed to propose the inclusion of the three sports in the 2026 SUKMA. Mohd Najwan, who is also Chairman of the SUKMA 22 Selangor 2026 Organising Committee, said the proposal will be submitted to the SUKMA Supreme Committee soon as the addition of sports must be finalised by or before Aug 15. However, Mohd Najwan said any decision is subject to the agreement of all state representatives attending the meeting chaired by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. - Bernama
