KUALA LUMPUR – National sepak takraw head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun has rejected claims that the squad’s attendance at the National Sports Awards ceremony contributed to Malaysia’s shock semi-final defeat to Myanmar in the TM Istaf Sepak Takraw World Cup yesterday.
The national squad attended the ceremony in Bukit Jalil after being named the 2025 Men’s Team of the Year, while Jais himself received the Men’s Coach of the Year award, just hours before their inter-regu clash at Stadium Titiwangsa.
However, Jais insisted the team must take full responsibility after the defending champions crashed out 15-9, 15-10 against Myanmar in one of Malaysia’s most disappointing performances in recent years.
“We do not want to hide behind excuses. Once the players step onto the court, the responsibility is entirely ours as a team,” Jais told Scoop when contacted.
“Yes, the schedule may have been tiring, but that cannot be used to justify the performance. Myanmar simply played better and we were too slow to settle into the match.
“The defeat definitely hurts because we know the expectations placed on this team and we understand the disappointment felt by the fans.
“We lacked sharpness, urgency and consistency from the start. Against teams like Myanmar and South Korea, if you are not fully focused from the first serve, you will be punished.”
The defeat marked a major setback for Malaysia, with Farhan Adam, Azlan Alias and Syahir Rosdi struggling to cope with Myanmar’s aggressive approach and relentless intensity throughout the match.
Myanmar later pushed regional powerhouse Thailand to a deciding set in the final before eventually losing 15-8, 13-15, 15-7, further highlighting the rapid improvement of the Southeast Asian nation.
Jais admitted the loss could serve as a timely wake-up call ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September, which remains Malaysia’s main target this season.
“I would like to sincerely apologise to all Malaysian sepak takraw supporters for our failure to defend the inter-regu title.
“Perhaps this defeat came at the right time for us to realise that other countries are improving tremendously. Myanmar and India are no longer teams we can take lightly because they are becoming more organised, more confident and tactically stronger.
“The level of international sepak takraw is rising quickly and this result should open our eyes before the Asian Games.
“The Asian Games is our biggest mission this year because it involves national pride on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages. We will go back, analyse our weaknesses thoroughly and ensure the players return mentally and physically stronger.”
Despite the disappointment in the inter-regu event, Malaysia still had reason to celebrate after the national quadrant team comprising Afifuddin Razali, Shahalril Aiman Halim, Amirul Zazwan Amir and Aidil Aiman Zawawi defeated India 17-15, 15-10 in the final to lift the title yesterday.
The triumph came as a welcome bonus for the hosts, with the quadrant discipline still considered Malaysia’s weakest category compared to the more established inter-regu and team regu events.
Malaysia will now shift their attention to the team regu competition, which begins today, with hopes of bouncing back strongly from the semi-final disappointment. – May 20, 2026