PUTRAJAYA – The Malaysian Sepak Takraw Association (PSM) is edging closer to realising its long-held ambition of having a dedicated stadium, albeit with a significant adjustment to the initial plan.
Instead of building a new facility, the governing body is being urged to utilise existing assets.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh reiterated that the ministry lacks the resources to construct a stadium for any single sport.
Consequently, the proposal now on the table is to use facilities at local universities as the official venue for the national sepak takraw events.
Last June, PSM president Datuk Sumali Reduan envisioned a dedicated stadium for the sport following Malaysia’s historic victories over Thailand at the ISTAF World Cup in both doubles and regu events in May.
Initially, Sumali was not keen on using existing facilities, but his stance shifted after a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya yesterday.
During this meeting, players and coaches were awarded RM10,000 each for their achievements as world champions.
Currently, the national squad trains at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil, and most competitions are held at Titiwangsa Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
“We are reviewing the request to partner with existing assets instead of constructing new ones due to numerous ongoing projects.
“PSM has requested the Titiwangsa Stadium for sepak takraw, but it belongs to DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) and not the Youth and Sports Ministry,” she said.
Hannah added that discussions with DBKL are necessary since the stadium is used by multiple sports, making it challenging to allocate it exclusively for sepak takraw.
The ministry is also in talks with universities and shopping mall operators to designate areas within malls as sports venues.
“For the ministry, building a new stadium for one specific sport is challenging given the variety of sports we have,” the minister explained.
“We are exploring partnerships with shopping malls with sports training facilities suitable for indoor sports.
“Discussions are also ongoing with universities to use their facilities, such as UPM for softball, UiTM for women’s football, and UM for lawn bowls.”
In addition to the stadium discussions, there is a renewed push to reinstate sepak takraw as a core sport, a status it lost in 2017.
NSC is expected to decide on this matter soon, likely after the Paris Olympics.
“Sepak takraw is highly popular among both urban and rural communities.
“The strong reception during the Sepak Takraw World Cup, with sold-out tickets and high online viewership, highlights its broad appeal.
“It’s also an inexpensive sport accessible to all age groups.
“Given the abundance of talent in Malaysia, we aim to promote and strengthen the existing ecosystem,” she said. – July 23, 2024