KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Aquatics (MAS) will subsidise its athletes and officials competing under Category B at this year’s Bangkok SEA Games in December, easing the financial strain on those who did not qualify for full government funding.
Under Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) guidelines, Category A athletes are fully funded and must be ranked among the top three in their events. Category B athletes, meanwhile, may compete on self-funding — but over the past two editions, the criteria have been tightened to include only those ranked in the top six.
In a statement today, MAS said it would cover 50% of the full board and return flight expenses for all Category B athletes travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.
Team officials under the same category will have their expenses fully funded.
The initiative covers 82 athletes and officials across five aquatic disciplines — swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo and open-water swimming.
MAS president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the move reflects the federation’s continued commitment to supporting athletes who remain competitive but narrowly miss out on full government funding.
“The 2025 SEA Games is a crucial platform for athlete development, team rebuilding, and readiness as Malaysia prepares to host the 2027 edition,” he said.
Disciplines like artistic swimming and open-water swimming, which return to the SEA Games after periods of absence, are expected to benefit most from the subsidy.
The decision, endorsed by the MAS executive committee on October 5, underscores the association’s goal of maintaining strong national representation while easing financial pressure on its athletes. — October 13, 2025