KUALA LUMPUR – With a world-class velodrome on the horizon and a refreshed leadership driving its ambitions, Sarawak is laying the groundwork to emerge as Malaysia’s next cycling powerhouse.
At the centre of this push is Irawan Sudarsono, who took over as Sarawak Cycling Association (SCA) president in 2024 and was recently elected as vice-president of the Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) at its annual general meeting on Sunday.
Irawan said the planned Sarawak Velodrome, a state government project, will be built within the Sarawak Sports Complex in Kuching and is expected to meet international standards capable of hosting global competitions.
“The proposed site is within the Sarawak Stadium sports complex, as the state government aims to develop it into a sports hub,” he said when contacted.
“Currently, they are resolving land issues, as the area was originally vested with the Federal Government. The state is still negotiating the handover.
“Construction can only proceed once that matter is settled.
“From what I understand, the intention is to build a velodrome of international standard and to do it properly.
“We are grateful for that, as it will boost sports tourism in Sarawak and enable us to host international events. It will also add to Malaysia’s existing pool of world-class velodromes, which benefits both the state and the country.”
However, Irawan stressed that infrastructure alone will not be sufficient to develop cycling talent in Sarawak.
“It is not just about coaches and facilities; the entire ecosystem matters if we want to grow talent,” he said.
“This includes parents, associations, the cycling community, as well as structured programmes and events. These are areas the SCA is actively working to strengthen.”
Sarawak has long been recognised as a diving powerhouse in Malaysia, producing world-class athletes such as Datuk Pandelela Rinong, Bryan Nickson Lomas, Elizabeth Jimie, and more recently Bertrand Rhodict Lises, Enrique Harold Macartney and Elvis Priestly Clement.
Irawan said the SCA is now looking to replicate similar success in cycling by learning from Terengganu, which has traditionally been the country’s strongest state in both road and track cycling.
“Terengganu has a very successful model, which we are studying closely,” he said.
“InshaAllah, we will be making an educational visit soon to understand how they have developed the sport so effectively.”
Sarawak has already begun producing promising track cyclists, including youngsters Adib Andhar Andan, Danial Hakim Zulkaisi and Afif Darwysh, all of whom are currently part of the national programme. – May 5, 2026