07-08-2025
PM expects Malaysia to win Olympic gold in 2028
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expects Malaysia's gold medal wait to end at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Anwar, speaking at the Olympic House groundbreaking ceremony in Bukit Jalil, today, said the government has been supportive of sports through Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) led by Tan Sri Norza Zakaria.
"I think the government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has been very proactive, very supportive. You have a good minister, who has been harassing me for more money, more funds.
"Under Hannah, and now with Norza, well, we expect one gold medal at least from the Olympics. Otherwise, they'll be in trouble but, as I always tell my grandchildren, because sometimes, in chess, or football, which they are involved in, they get very upset when they lose.
"I told them, that's not the spirit. The spirit, of course, is to win.
"But sportsmanship, the term sportsmanship, is such a value-laden term. You try your best. You try to excel. But you accept it in a sportsmanship fashion."
Last year, the Malaysian contingent returned empty-handed from the Paris Olympics despite the various support and assistance provided, including an allocation of RM13.283 million through the Road to Gold (RTG) programme since 2023.
Malaysia have won 13 medals — eight silver and five bronze — since their first Olympic participation at the 1956 Melbourne Games.
From this tally, badminton has delivered six silver and three bronze medals, while cycling and diving have each won one silver and one bronze.
Malaysia's best achievement in the Olympic Games was finishing with four silvers and one bronze in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
