PUTRAJAYA — The Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) is ramping up efforts to unearth talent from Sabah and Sarawak as part of preparations for maximum success at the 2027 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
MHC president, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said the focus on these states aims to provide more opportunities for young players in rural and interior areas, whose talent often goes untapped due to high travel costs and logistical challenges.
“At the national level, Sabah and Sarawak have never failed to take part in our tournaments. They have very committed leaders, whether it is Datuk Seri Dr Anil Sandhu or Datin Mary Sadiah Zainuddin,” he said after chairing MHC’s 71st annual general meeting at Menara PERKESO today.
“Every time there is a tournament, the costs are indeed high because of air travel and other expenses. MHC provides additional support, but it is never quite enough, and the state associations contribute significantly”.
He added that the federation is exploring ways to hold more competitions in cities like Miri, Bintulu, Kuching, and Sandakan to give more players exposure and competitive experience.
“With more venues for competition, we can unearth more players. From there, we can identify those with the hunger and commitment we are looking for,” Subahan said.
Beyond grassroots development, MHC is also focused on achieving maximum medal success at the SEA Games, targeting six golds, particularly in indoor hockey and Hockey 5s.
“If we want to secure six gold medals at the 2027 SEA Games, field hockey is manageable, but indoor hockey and Hockey 5s must start preparations now. We cannot wait until a month before the tournament. That simply will not work,” he said.
On Hockey 5s, Subahan highlighted Malaysia’s current global standing.
“Hockey 5s is actually ranked second in the world, behind the Netherlands. From a potential perspective, we can certainly aim for gold at the SEA Games,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that financial constraints remain the main challenge for providing international exposure to players.
“We don’t have enough funding to provide the same opportunities as other countries. For example, the Indian team can stay in Europe for three months, playing against strong club sides. European clubs are highly competitive. For us, a single overseas trip can cost RM500,000. If we go regularly, we wouldn’t even be able to pay salaries,” he explained.
To overcome this, MHC is in discussions with several corporate entities, including banks, to secure sponsorship and strategic partnerships.
Subahan confirmed that the proposals will be presented at upcoming meetings to ensure that indoor hockey and Hockey 5s development programmes are implemented immediately and sustained through to the 2027 SEA Games. – January 31, 2026