Lifting Age Restrictions In SUKMA Could Transform Malaysian Sports, Says Ex-NSC Chief 

By Muhammad Zulkarnain Mohd Azman

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- It is time to lift age restrictions for athletes competing in the Malaysia Games (SUKMA), former National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said. 

He said this will enable the Games to be more competitive, paving the way for a greater number of elite athletes to emerge on the national stage.

Ahmad Shapawi reckoned that the age group of athletes participating in SUKMA, first introduced in 1986, overlaps with existing competitions such as Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) and the Malaysian University Sports Council (MASUM) championships.

“State sports bodies cannot manage this alone. They require the support of state governments, which have traditionally prioritised preparations for SUKMA, which still focused on junior athletes under the age of 21. 

“Most states disengage when their athletes surpass the SUKMA age limit or when they are selected for national junior or backup teams, as they lack resources to continue supporting these athletes.

“If we were to extend the same support to senior athletes who have outgrown the SUKMA age limit, I believe it would create opportunities for these athletes. We wouldn't have to rely on the same group every time Malaysia aims to qualify for international sporting events,” he said. 

Bernama recently reported how Malaysia's continued reliance on veteran athletes was a key factor in the country’s ongoing quest for its first Olympic gold medal.

Sports analyst Asan Ahmad said the script does not seem to have changed much after the national contingent, once again, had to rely on seasoned athletes in their bid for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In this regard, Ahmad Shapawi also suggested that Malaysia could look to Indonesia for inspiration, where the Pekan Olahraga Nasional (PON), a multi-sport event with no age limit, is held every four years.

He said PON was a platform for Indonesian sports associations and authorities to select the best athletes to represent the country at major sporting events such as the SEA Games and the Asian Games.

“When a prestigious event like this is held, competing states will prepare more rigorously to achieve success, which ‘forces’ them to field their best athletes.

“So this way, we can also reduce dependence on only the national sports associations to develop training programmes for national athletes. This collaborative approach would expand the pool of potential athletes and lead to significant cost savings.

“Most importantly, the level of competition at the local level would be higher. If this approach succeeds, it could revolutionise the sports landscape in our country,” he said.

-- BERNAMA