KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) may need to dip into its own funds if it is to secure additional foreign expertise.
For now, the appointment of four foreign head coaches, as announced in November last year, hangs in the balance, awaiting clarity from the National Sports Council (NSC).
When contacted by Scoop, the NSC confirmed that MAF’s budget for 2025 has yet to be approved and that discussions with MAF will take place soon.
On November 12 last year, after the working committee (JKK) meeting with the NSC, MAF announced plans to appoint four foreign head coaches to elevate the standards of Malaysian athletics at the regional level. In fact, it was reported then that the new coaches would be revealed by the end of the month. The matter, however, has since gone quiet.
“MAF has already submitted its budget proposal, and we will be meeting them soon to deliberate on it,” said NSC athlete unit director Azrul Hisyam Abd Jalil.
“Previously, at the JKK meeting, we had approved three foreign coaches. If MAF wants more, it must fund the coaches itself,” he added.
The proposal to recruit high-caliber foreign coaches was widely regarded as a strategic move to enhance the competitiveness of Malaysian athletics. These coaches were expected to introduce advanced training techniques and nurture local talent capable of competing at higher levels, particularly within Southeast Asia.
However, without a confirmed budget, the federation’s ambitions could face delays or improvisation, as the outcome of this review is expected to significantly impact whether MAF can proceed with the recruitment as intended.
Despite the uncertainty, the NSC has assured that the situation will not disrupt tournament planning and preparation for athletes and coaches, with tournaments scheduled to start as early as February and March.
“At present, preparations remain in the conditioning phase, which gives us time to finalise logistical and coaching arrangements once the budget is resolved,” explained Azrul.
As Malaysia prepares for a competitive year in sports, which includes the Bangkok SEA Games later this year, the decision on MAF’s budget will have significant implications for its aspirations to achieve regional dominance in athletics. – January 8, 2025