KUALA LUMPUR – The National Sports Council (NSC) has announced that the Malaysian contingent competing at the Thailand SEA Games in Songkhla will travel by land on chartered buses, given the shorter distance from Kuala Lumpur to the northern border.
The decision involves athletes and officials from nine sports contested in Songkhla, including pencak silat, muay thai, karate, wushu, wrestling, judo and chess.
NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the contingent would depart in stages, beginning three days before their respective events.
“We have held several meetings with the sports associations and the contingent management. Among the issues raised were travel time and the need for sufficient rest.
“As Songkhla is located close to the border, we discussed travel arrangements with the Malaysian consulate in Thailand, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and the Immigration Department to ensure a smooth journey.
“By travelling overland, the athletes will spend a night at UUM before continuing on to Songkhla, allowing them to arrive in a fresher state,” he said at a press conference after the signing of a sponsorship memorandum of agreement between the NSC and sportswear company Corporate Hero Century Sdn Bhd (PACE) at Bukit Jalil today.
Also present was Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Jefri said the land route takes about six hours from Kuala Lumpur, followed by another 90-minute journey from the border to Songkhla.
“This method gives athletes a longer rest period. They will also depart three days earlier than usual, compared with the typical two days before competition,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hannah reiterated that Malaysia would continue adopting a total medal target approach at this SEA Games, rather than setting goals based on medal colours.
She said the decision was made based on analysis by experts from Nippon Sport Science University in Japan, a strategic partner through an MoU with the NSC and the National Sports Institute.
“The NSC will announce the overall medal target soon. This is the expert opinion of Nippon Sport Science University, an institution that has produced 40 Olympic gold medals.
“They have a policy aimed at reducing pressure on athletes. We used this formula at the Hangzhou Asian Games (2022), and it was well received by the athletes,” she said. – November 17, 2025