KUALA LUMPUR – The lower allocation for next year’s SEA Games and Asean Para Games compared with Malaysia’s previous hosting edition in 2017 does not necessarily signal major funding cuts, as some preparations have already been covered under Budget 2026, says senior sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli.
Speaking to Scoop, Pekan said the allocations for the 2027 Games should be assessed in the context of expenditure incurred in the preceding year, as well as the division of costs between the Federal Government and the Sarawak state government.
“When Budget 2026 was announced, part of the allocation had already been used for preparations for the SEA Games. So, when we enter 2027, the year of hosting, the allocation may be different because some preparations would have been completed earlier,” he said.
The senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation said Sarawak’s contribution towards hosting the Games should also be considered when evaluating the overall expenditure.
“We also have to look at how much the state government is contributing, because not all the costs will necessarily be borne by the Federal Government,” he said.
He added that the difference in allocations between the two years would not necessarily affect the national contingent’s preparations or the organisation of the Games, provided expenditure was properly planned and sustained.
In 2017, the government allocated RM450 million for the SEA Games and Asean Para Games to ensure both events were organised successfully.
However, senior sports analyst and UiTM sports science lecturer Sadek Mustaffa questioned whether the allocations under Budget 2027 would be sufficient to support Malaysia’s ambition of winning its first Olympic gold medal and becoming a sporting powerhouse.
He described the RM460 million allocated for national sports development and RM240 million for preparations to host next year’s SEA Games and Asean Para Games as insufficient to meet the country’s long-term sporting ambitions.
“For me, the allocations are very minimal. If we want an Olympic gold medal and to become a sporting powerhouse, I do not think they are sufficient,” he told Scoop.
“We are still uncertain about how we want to become a sporting nation.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a total allocation of RM730 million for sports when tabling Budget 2027 in Parliament yesterday.
The RM460 million allocated for sports development will cover high-performance programmes, the Road to Gold initiative, para-athletes, deaf sports and the maintenance of sports facilities nationwide.
The government has also set aside RM30 million for a sports matching grant to encourage sports associations, clubs and non-governmental organisations to organise high-performance sporting events.
Sadek said funding constraints had limited athlete development and opportunities to compete at higher levels, particularly in athletics and swimming.
He called for a more comprehensive approach to talent development, urging the government to look beyond Malaysia’s traditional sporting strengths and invest in disciplines that offer more opportunities to win Olympic medals.
Among the sports he identified were canoeing, kayaking, judo, fencing, gymnastics and athletics.
“We need to look more comprehensively at what development means. Is it only on the surface, or is it more thorough and comprehensive?” he said.
His remarks come after Malaysia matched its best-ever Asian Games gold medal tally at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 edition, returning with nine gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals.
Although Anwar congratulated the athletes, coaches and officials for their achievements when announcing the sports allocations in Parliament yesterday, Sadek questioned whether the country’s existing development system was sufficiently comprehensive to produce a wider pool of competitive athletes.
He said sports continued to be sidelined by academic priorities at school and district levels, arguing that isolated, one-day activities could not replace sustained investment in grassroots development.
On preparations for next year’s SEA Games and Asean Para Games, Sadek said distributing hosting responsibilities across four zones would increase organisational and management demands.
He said the RM240 million allocation for preparations would be insufficient to meet the requirements of hosting the regional multi-sport events.
Although Sadek did not propose a specific alternative figure, he urged the government to demonstrate greater ambition in funding athlete development as Malaysia prepares to host the Games next year. – October 10, 2026