ALOR SETAR, Feb 28 (Bernama) – The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) wants to ensure there will be no logistics problems during the country’s hosting of the 2027 SEA Games, considering that it will be held in four states -- Sarawak, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.
Its minister, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said that although this will be among the biggest challenges in organising the Games, KBS will ensure it will be well-coordinated.
“A series of discussions with the Secretariat of the Malaysia SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC) 2027 have been held, and they are also going well. We are now in Phase 1, involving the preparation of athletes and facilities.
“We will have a meeting with the MASOC to finalise the preparations, and updates regarding the SEA Games, including the teams, mascot and others, will be announced from time to time," he said when asked about the preparations for next year's SEA Games.
He said what is most important is to ensure that there are no logistics issues as the event will be held across four states.
“We are confident that with thorough preparations being made, with the cooperation of all parties involved, we will be able to do our best as organisers. Now, we are also in the process of finalising how many sports will be contested at the 2027 SEA Games," he said.
Earlier, Dr Mohammed Taufiq, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani, visited the Rakan Muda Tour @ Rakan Muda Sahur Programme to engage with and distribute sahur meals to police officers, firefighters and hospital staff in Alor Setar.
In other developments, he said that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) needs to remain focused on preparing for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Vietnam on March 31, even though it is still awaiting the decision on the appeal case of the seven Harimau Malaya heritage players at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
He said that whatever decision is made, he hopes it will not have a significant impact on the development of football in the country.
"We are still waiting for the (decision). At the moment, there is no written statement yet. But whatever decision is made later, I hope it will be the best. The decision is important because it will somewhat influence the development of our football, so I hope it can be resolved quickly.
"I also hope that the supporters of our national football team remain calm while waiting for the decision and do not make any speculation as it can disrupt the focus of the national team," he added.
-- BERNAMA
