KUALA LUMPUR — After years of lobbying, the Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation (MLBF) is finally seeing a glimmer of hope for its athletes’ return to the National Sports Council’s Podium Programme.
The long-overdue discussion is set to take place later this week or early next week, with a special committee meeting expected to determine whether lawn bowls deserve a place in the elite training programme.
Speaking to Scoop, head coach Zuraidi Puteh welcomed the news, expressing his delight that the National Sports Council (NSC) was finally willing to reconsider the sport’s inclusion after years of advocacy.
“We are happy that they (NSC) have finally agreed to discuss this after we have been voicing the need for us to be included in the programme for more than two years now,” Zuraidi told Scoop.
Lawn bowls were previously excluded from the Podium Programme due to their failure to meet medal targets at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
However, in the middle of last year, they were placed in a temporary version of the programme, where the NSC dictated their participation in selected tournaments, each requiring council approval.
Zuraidi believes his athletes have since proven their worth.
“Since our omission in 2022, we have consistently shown what we are capable of, proving ourselves in every competition we enter and making the country proud by winning titles. Our results speak for themselves,” he said.
He urged NSC to evaluate the team’s achievements over the past three years with fairness.
“If we are included in the programme, we will be able to better prepare for the World Lawn Bowls Championship in Hong Kong this November.
“This will allow us to produce more world champions in all categories,” he said, adding that NSC should not base its decision on the SEA Games, as the event will not take place this year.
“NSC must understand that the World Championship is bigger than the SEA Games,” he stressed.
Since their exclusion from the Podium Programme, MLBF has had to bear all expenses—amounting to approximately RM1 million—including costs for player accommodation, food, and training.
Despite the funding challenges, Malaysia’s lawn bowlers have continued to make history. In September 2023, Nur Ain Nabilah Tarmizi and Aleena Ahmad Nawawi secured the country’s first-ever women’s pairs gold at the World Bowls Championships in Australia.
Malaysia’s men’s team is currently ranked fourth in the world out of 65 countries, while the women’s team sits in fifth place, according to World Bowls rankings. — February 3, 2025