Thailand-Cambodia Conflict: SEA Games Preparations Remain On Track
She said the government, through the Foreign Ministry, is closely monitoring the situation but so far, there has been no change in the country's sports contingent planning.
'We are, of course, worried about the trend but we know Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is doing his best to talk to both countries for a ceasefire. Of course, we definitely want peace in this arena.
bootstrap slideshow
'And we know the SEA Games (to be hosted by Thailand) is coming up in December. We do hope that this matter can be resolved amicably and also speedily.
'For the National Sports Council (NSC), we are always following not just the news coming in, but we also have to listen to the Foreign Ministry for guidance and nothing has changed (for Malaysia),' she said after opening the 2025 National Combat Sports Championships held at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
The Combat Sports Championships meet brings together 2,000 athletes from all over the country who compete in the five main disciplines of combat sports, namely silat, wushu, karate-do, muay thai and wrestling.
Hannah stressed that combat sports need to be given support equivalent to Olympic-status sports and the ministry is committed to helping in the development of the discipline.
In another development, she said the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) views the proposal by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to establish a National Sports Trust Fund to reduce dependence on government funds as a positive step.
'As I stated, sports associations need to have their own initiative to find funds. They can't depend on the government.
Hashtags

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


Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
King test drives Russian-made Aurus luxury car during visit to top auto institute in Moscow
Published on: Friday, August 08, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 08, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Sultan Ibrahim during a visit to Russia's Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute. — Picture from Facebook/Sultan Ibrahim Moscow: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, today visited the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI) here to observe advancements in Russian automotive technology. Upon arrival, His Majesty was received by NAMI chief executive officer Fedor Nazarov. Advertisement Also present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who is also the Minister-in-Attendance, Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, and Malaysian Ambassador to Russia Datuk Cheong Loon Lai. The visit began with a briefing by Nazarov and a video presentation on NAMI, a premier Russian scientific and engineering institute established in 1918 as the country's first automobile research laboratory. Today, NAMI is among Europe's largest automotive testing centres, with laboratory facilities, test tracks, and a special zone for autonomous vehicles. Among its key projects is the development of the AURUS luxury vehicle range, designed and manufactured at NAMI facilities. Advertisement His Majesty showed keen interest in the institute's operations, vehicle models and production processes, posing various questions throughout the visit. Sultan Ibrahim later toured the showroom with Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov, before visiting the assembly plant. Before concluding the visit, His Majesty took the wheel of an AURUS vehicle for a brief test drive. Sultan Ibrahim is currently in Moscow for a state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
‘Do not let money guide policies'
G25: Commercialisation of public services can further divide society PETALING JAYA: The creeping commercialisation of public services in Malaysia under the guise of 'financial sustainability' is concerning, says civil society group G25. Citing rising foreign student intake in public universities and preferential treatment for paying patients in public hospitals, the group of prominent retired civil servants said such trends could deny deserving Malaysians access to essential services. The group warned that such policies risk deepening socio-economic divides and undermining constitutional guarantees of equality. 'This risks creating new socio-economic divides not based on race or religion, but between those who can afford access and those who cannot,' it said in a statement yesterday. It could also be a violation of the equality provisions as enshrined in Article 8 (equality before the law) and Article 12 (equality in the administration of education) of the Federal Constitution, it added. It said that the nation's ambition to become a high-income, innovation-driven economy hinges on consistent implementation of policies. 'Malaysia's ambition to become a high-income, innovation-driven economy must be underpinned by policies that develop and retain talent as well as avoid deepening socio-economic inequalities,' it said. The group also warned that economic advancement must be matched by improvements in governance and civil liberties. 'As the saying goes, when the stomach is full, people expect higher standards. 'Failure to meet these expectations could lead to resentment that could be exploited by extremist narratives,' it added. MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who first raised the issue, said he was not alone in his concerns about public university admissions. 'The G25 shares my apprehension about the commercialisation of these institutions, whereby the rich can just enrol in our public universities as long as they can afford the high tuition fees. 'This could impact access for less affluent Malaysian students, despite their academic excellence,' he said in a Facebook post yesterday. He noted that such practice was reminiscent of the Rakan KKM policy, where money allows one to skip the queue for medical treatment. 'Kudos to G25 for their courage in speaking the truth,' added Dr Wee. On Wednesday, Dr Wee reiterated his concerns about the sharp rise in foreign student enrolment at Malaysia's public universities which is outpacing that of local students, raising red flags about allocation of placements. Citing a recent study by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), he said the number of Malaysian students enrolling in public universities increased modestly from 172,719 in 2018 to 191,450 in 2024, reflecting a 10.8% rise and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of mere 1.73%. In stark contrast, non-Malaysian enrolment surged from 10,003 in 2018 to 19,731 in 2024, marking a 97.3% increase and a CAGR of 11.99%. While not against the intake of international students, Dr Wee said it becomes an issue when their enrolment seems to be replacing spots meant for Malaysian students. 'We must ensure a balance that respects the educational needs of our own creme de la creme.' In response, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir denied the allegation, saying the government continued to prioritise Malaysians with no compromise on the quotas allocated for local students in public universities.


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
M'sia not agreeable with some aspects in Palestine declaration
Exercising caution: Mohamad during Question Time at the parliament building in Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama Malaysia is taking a cautious approach before endorsing the New York Declaration on Palestine as some of its preconditions appear inconsistent with the country's foreign policy, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. Speaking during ministerial replies in the Dewan Rakyat, the Foreign Minister said while Malaysia agreed with the overarching goal of the declaration – the immediate establishment of an independent Palestinian state – several clauses are making the country feel uncomfortable. 'We agree with the objective, which is to realise a free and sovereign Palestinian state. But we are not entirely comfortable with the preconditions laid out (in the New York Declaration). 'There are aspects we feel are not in line with Malaysia's foreign policy. So, we are being careful,' he said. The declaration was adopted on July 30 during a high-level international conference in New York with aims to revive the two-state solution and push for a lasting peace between Palestine and Israel. The declaration calls for Hamas to disarm and hand over Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA), envisions a demilitarised Palestinian state under PA rule and urges Israel to commit to a two-state solution, end occupation and restore Palestinian institutional control. Mohamad emphasised that Malaysia's support for the Palestinian cause remains unwavering and principled, and is not aligned to any specific political faction within Palestine. 'We support the rights of the Palestinian people – not any specific group – to establish their own state, govern themselves and determine their own leadership,' he said, reaffirming Malaysia's long-standing position for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. He said Malaysia has consistently rejected Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, describing the actions of the Zionist regime as war crimes and crimes against humanity. 'They claim to be acting in self-defence. But how is the mass killing of women and children an act of defence? If it's about defending a nation, how many more must die to satisfy that narrative?' he said. Mohamad also took aim at the United Nations Security Council, criticising the use of veto powers to block resolutions that condemn Israeli violence. 'Malaysia has formally called for reforms at the Security Council. We want the veto power of permanent members to be limited, especially in cases involving genocide, war crimes and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.' He also announced that Malaysia is leading a new diplomatic coalition called The Hague Group, aimed at intensifying pressure for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring humanitarian access. 'Malaysia is at the core of this group. We are calling for an end to the forced displacement of 2.5 million Palestinians and the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors,' he said. Mohamad condemned the prolonged blockade on Gaza, saying that no aid trucks had entered through Jordan or Egypt in the past four-and-a-half months, leading to widespread hunger and starvation. 'Israel is using food as a weapon of war. People are dying of starvation. Even when Gazans go to collect aid, they are shot. We strongly condemn this cruelty,' he said.