Rhythmic Swimming Dropped From SUKMA 2026 - Mohd Najwan
SHAH ALAM, May 10 (Bernama) -- The rhythmic swimming event has been dropped from the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA), scheduled to take place from Aug 15 to 24, after failing to attract sufficient participation from states.
Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi said the decision reduced the total number of events contested to 469 from the original 474.
“We decided on this matter during the recent SUKMA 2026 Supreme Special Committee Meeting. Under the competition requirements, an event must be participated in by at least six states.
“The rhythmic swimming event did not receive enough entries from the states, so the SUKMA Supreme Committee decided to withdraw it from the games,” he told reporters after the 22nd SUKMA Torch Run and Para SUKMA Selangor 2026 event at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam today.
Mohd Najwan, who is also chairman of the 22nd SUKMA and Para SUKMA Selangor 2026 Executive Committee, said the biennial games would still feature 37 sports as originally planned.
He added that the dates for SUKMA and Para SUKMA, as well as the use of 52 competition venues, remain unchanged.
Elaborating further, Mohd Najwan said the state government would implement cost-saving measures, reducing the estimated hosting expenditure from RM100 million to between RM40 million and RM50 million.
Among the measures is scaling down the opening ceremony, which was previously scheduled to be held at the Sepang International Circuit. The ceremony will now take place at a smaller, yet-to-be-determined venue.
Cost-cutting efforts would also involve reducing the number of volunteers from the original target of 30,000 to fewer than 5,000, while fully utilising existing sports facilities without constructing new infrastructure.
“We will soon hold an implementation committee meeting involving government departments and agencies to reach a joint decision on the matter,” he said.
Commenting on today’s programme, Mohd Najwan said the torch run aimed to promote the SUKMA and Para SUKMA Games, with the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) serving as the first host in conjunction with the local authority-level Vehicle-Free Day programme.
“This year, the torch run will involve 12 local authorities throughout Selangor, with MBSA launching the programme today and the closing event to be held at D’Pulze Cyberjaya under the Sepang Municipal Council,” he said.
Previously, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, had suggested that the organisation of SUKMA Selangor 2026 be postponed until the crisis in West Asia subsides and the reconstruction of Shah Alam Stadium is fully completed.
However, Sultan Sharafuddin later agreed that the biennial games should proceed, but prudently, after receiving an audience from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
-- BERNAMA
