Moonton to help Malaysian gamers win first MLBB gold at Sea Games
KUALA LUMPUR: Moonton Games and the Malaysia eSports Federation (MESF) today (May 10) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) aimed at boosting Malaysia's gold medal prospects at the Thailand Sea Games in December.
The publisher of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) will provide financial support to MESF to organise qualifying tournaments and select the nation's top eSports athletes to represent Malaysia in Thailand.
"This MoA is designed to enhance Malaysia's chances of emerging as the No. 1 team on the international stage, starting with the Sea Games in Thailand," said Moonton's Malaysia eSports Lead, Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, during a press conference at Juara Stadium, Bukit Kiara.
"We will be providing MESF with financial assistance to fulfil two key responsibilities.
"First, to conduct qualifying activities to identify the best male and female players to represent the country in the MLBB tournament in Bangkok. Second, MESF will provide official assets such as photographs and visuals of the national teams during the Games."
MESF president Naim Al Amin Saharudin said the national squad would be drawn from the top two teams in the MLBB Professional League Malaysia (MPL MY).
"We will shortlist 20 players who will be invited to attend a boot camp," he said.
"Selection will not be based solely on performance. We will also assess their discipline, commitment, national spirit, and patriotism.
"Our aim is to ensure that those chosen to represent the nation are driven by pride and a sense of duty. They are playing for the country, not just for themselves."
MLBB will be the centrepiece of the eSports competition in Bangkok, with two gold medals up for grabs in the men's and women's events.
Malaysia have yet to win gold in MLBB since its Sea Games debut in Manila in 2019.
At the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh, the men's team claimed silver while the women's squad took home bronze.
Dr. Yew Weng Kean delivered Malaysia's last Sea Games gold medal in eSports when he won the Hearthstone event at the 2019 Manila Games.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Clubs just as vital as schools in hockey revival, say veterans
Jayamaran represented the country several times at the SEA Games and Asian Games. FOR former Selangor hockey stalwarts Sri Muhunan Raja Retnam and M. Jayamaran, reviving the state's hockey strength will require strong partnerships between schools and clubs – with both playing vital and complementary roles. Sri Muhunan, who was part of the 1996 Selangor Tun Abdul Razak Cup-winning squad, believes clubs play a key role in sustaining talent after the school stage. 'Schools can only take you so far. It's the clubs that build match temperament, tactical sense, and character,' he said. Jayamaran, a former international who was groomed under the Selangor system but represented Kuala Lumpur during his Razak Cup triumphs in the 1990s, agreed that many young players lacked sufficient exposure outside school tournaments. 'School tournaments come and go. What we need is continuous, year-round training. Even weekly friendlies can be valuable, and clubs can provide that.' He said players needed regular matches to sharpen their skills. Both, having been involved in grassroots development programmes, said district-level competition must be revived to give players more game time. 'There should be league structures in every district. That's how you keep the sport alive,' said Jayamaran. Sri Muhunan said recognition and incentives could help retain youth players in the system. 'In the UK, even club matches end with small awards – best striker, best keeper. That kind of recognition keeps kids motivated, but sustaining it comes at a cost,' he said. Club administrators almost always have to pay for pitch time, equipment and sometimes even arrange transport for students. 'If local councils give us lower pitch rates or basic grants, we can double the number of children playing,' Sri Muhunan said. Sri Muhunan was part of the squad that last lifted the Tun Abdul Razak Cup in 1996. Jayamaran also pointed out that without a long-term plan, many promising players could drift to other sports. 'You lose them to football or badminton. We have seen it happen many times. 'But the ones who stayed, the ones with the burning passion, they have become the core of today's state pool.' Despite the challenges, both are hopeful that the current SHA committee – led by people they once played alongside – can help rebuild the foundation. 'They know what Selangor hockey used to be,' said Jayamaran. 'But to get back there, it is not just about one tournament or one team. It is about fixing the foundation.' Sri Muhunan said the hockey community had the passion and know-how to bring back Selangor's past strengths. 'There are veterans and ex-players with a lot of experience at the club level. They are already doing the work. They just need more support,' he said. Beyond coaching and competition, both stressed the importance of creating a nurturing environment that fuelled a young player's passion for the sport. 'Kids need to feel seen,' said Sri Muhunan. 'When their effort is recognised – whether through a small trophy, a mention during team talks, or even a pat on the back – it makes a huge difference. That's what keeps them coming back.' They added that friendship often mattered more than results at that level. 'If they enjoy the game and look forward to training, they will naturally improve,' said Jayamaran. 'We have seen players develop simply because they had teammates who encouraged them and a coach who cared.' Both believe that a sense of belonging – to a club or team – provides great support for young players through the ups and downs in sport. They also urged parents to play a more active but supportive role. 'Let the kids enjoy the game. Don't pressure them to be national players. Help them grow first,' said Sri Muhunan. Jayamaran agreed, noting that talent would need time and space to develop. 'If the system is there, and if people are patient, the results will come,' he said.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Aiman hopes to see gold at end of the road in his third SEA Games
PETALING JAYA: Road cyclist Nur Aiman Rosli (pic) is hoping to achieve a breakthrough victory at the Thailand SEA Games in December after enjoying his best ever outing at the National Championships in Pagoh, Johor. The Muar-born cyclist achieved the rare double-gold feat, winning both the men's individual time trial for a sixth time as well as bagging his first victory in the road race.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says
U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump's directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against 'foreign terrorists' and other security threats. 'The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games,' LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover told Reuters on Thursday. 'There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials. 'We will be able to have a wide-open Games.' The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, the private, non-profit company organizing the Games, said he had 'great confidence' that the positive working relationship with the administration would continue. 'It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognizing that,' he told a press conference after hosting International Olympic Committee officials in Los Angeles. Wasserman added that he did not anticipate the travel ban to have any impact on ticket sales, which will begin next year. The U.S. along with Canada and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Trump said during a task force meeting last month that he wanted people traveling to the U.S. to watch that competition to have a seamless experience during their visit. 'At the White House task force the president, the vice president, all of the administration officials said, 'We welcome the world to come to FIFA,'' Hoover said. 'I think the administration is welcoming the world to come to LA.' Hoover said LA28 continues to forge ties with the administration ahead of the mega-sporting event, now just over three years away. 'We have direct communication with the White House through the chief of staff, we have direct communication with the Department of State, and we are working with the State Department to have embedded teams to coordinate visa access,' he said.
