KUALA LUMPUR – The Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) will not stand in the way of national players seeking opportunities in Thailand’s league, provided competing abroad helps improve their performance without disrupting national team commitments.
PSM president Datuk Sumali Reduan said the association welcomed opportunities for Malaysian players to gain international exposure, experience different playing styles and test themselves against stronger opponents.
However, he said PSM had yet to receive any official application or information about Malaysian players potentially joining the Thai league.
“We want to give our players as many opportunities as possible to compete, both at home and abroad. If playing in a foreign league provides a good platform for them to improve their skills, gain valuable experience and raise their performance levels, I do not see any reason to stand in their way,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Sumali said any proposed move would have to be assessed against the national team’s training schedule, podium programme and tournament commitments to ensure there were no clashes.
He stressed that players must continue to prioritise national training camps and international competitions when weighing offers from overseas leagues.
“If there is no clash with our existing programmes, I have no problem with it. In fact, I view such opportunities positively because I want our players to experience different levels of competition and learn from playing against stronger opponents.
“What matters most is that they gain exposure internationally. I do not want our players to compete only in Malaysia and then struggle to reproduce their performances when they face opponents overseas,” he said.
Sumali said competing in Thailand could help Malaysian players adapt to different approaches to the game, gain valuable match experience and improve their ability to compete against international opponents.
He added that such opportunities could contribute to the long-term growth of Malaysian sepak takraw, as long as players balanced their overseas commitments with their national team responsibilities.
Thailand’s next sepak takraw league season is scheduled to begin in February 2027, following the Road to Thailand League qualifying competition from Dec 4 to 7 this year.
The organisers have yet to confirm how many teams will participate in the 2027 season. – October 18, 2026