KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) says it is comfortable not being part of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, with its president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal, describing Olympic gold as an unrealistic target for hockey at this stage.
Speaking to Scoop after the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) worth RM25 million over five years (2026–2030) in Bangsar today, Subahan said the decision on RTG inclusion should rest with the Youth and Sports Ministry.
“To be honest, this is not our call. It is the minister’s decision and we respect whatever is decided,” he said.
“The RTG programme is about winning Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal. I am being practical and realistic – I think that goal is very difficult for hockey at the moment.
“For us, we are not pushing to be included in RTG. There are other sports that may need the support more urgently, so we have to be realistic.
“We will continue to play our role and support the government in achieving its targets.”
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari has confirmed that an RTG committee meeting will be held on May 19 to discuss whether additional sports should be included in the programme.
Hockey had previously been part of RTG during the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, in a bid to secure automatic qualification via the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
However, it was later dropped after failing to secure the gold medal at the event.
Subahan also expressed gratitude after MHC received the Dynamic Sports Association Award at the recent Sports Writers Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100PLUS 2025 awards ceremony.
“I have been president for 11 years, and perhaps we should have received this recognition earlier,” he said.
“We are honoured. There are over 200 countries playing hockey, and we are currently ranked 14th in the world. Our best ranking was ninth, and the lowest was 15th.
“We have also qualified for the World Cup four times in a row from 2014 to 2026, and we won bronze at the Asia Cup in India last year.”
Meanwhile, TNB has renewed its long-standing commitment to Malaysian hockey with a RM25 million sponsorship deal for the 2026–2030 cycle.
The agreement allocates RM5 million annually to support the national team’s development, including competitions and grassroots programmes.
Subahan described the sponsorship as a crucial boost for the sport’s continued growth.
“Alhamdulillah, this five-year agreement worth RM25 million will help sustain our development programmes. TNB understands our need for funding,” he said.
“We hope the funds will be used effectively to improve performance and bring more success to Malaysian hockey in the future.” – May 12, 2026