KUALA LUMPUR – National Hockey 5s coach Wan Roslan Wan Abdul Rahman hopes Malaysia’s gold medal performance at the Thailand SEA Games will be an eye-opener for all stakeholders, including the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), to invest more in developing the sport.
Speaking to Scoop, Wan Roslan said the historic triumph should be a wake-up call for everyone involved in Hockey 5s.
“I hope this victory shows the importance of long-term commitment to the sport, from grassroots right up to the national level,” he said.
His men’s team made history on Wednesday by defeating Indonesia 7-3 in the final, becoming the inaugural SEA Games Hockey 5s champions.
The achievement comes a year after Malaysia finished runners-up at the World Cup in Oman, marking their second-best international performance.
Wan Roslan highlighted Indonesia’s early investment in Hockey 5s, which built on their indoor hockey gold at the 2023 Phnom Penh Games.
“Indonesia came here single-mindedly to win gold. They had already tasted success in indoor hockey and replicated that preparation for Hockey 5s. That is why they pushed so hard,” he said.
“We cannot afford to be complacent. We are World Cup finalists and now SEA Games gold medallists. It’s crucial that all parties continue to strengthen development programmes for five-a-side hockey from the grassroots.”
The coach also stressed that ongoing support from key stakeholders, especially KBS, will be vital after this milestone victory.
“So far, the ministry has supported us following our World Cup success. With this SEA Games gold, we hope the current management structure remains, and that the National Sports Council and Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) continue their backing.”
Malaysia’s men dominated the tournament, winning all their matches from the round-robin stage to the final.
Their bid for a clean sweep was halted, however, when the women’s team fell 7-1 to hosts Thailand, settling for silver. – December 11, 2025