East Kalimantan To Host Borneo Games 2027 - Abang Johari

KUCHING, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- East Kalimantan, Indonesia, has been selected as the host for the Borneo Games 2027, says Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said following the success of this year’s edition in the Land of the Hornbills, the state government would continue to channel contributions and funds to develop sports in Borneo and support regional cooperation that could further enhance the quality of athletes.

“To the athletes who have travelled from afar, I wish you a safe journey home to your families and continued training to compete in East Kalimantan in 2027. I thank Governor Rudy Mas’ud for agreeing to host the next edition.

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“God willing, by 2027, Sarawak will already have its own airline (AirBorneo) for us to fly directly to Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan. We may also explore cooperation between AirBorneo and Royal Brunei Airlines to connect regions across Borneo,” he said when officiating the closing ceremony of the Kuching 2025 Borneo Games here tonight.

Abang Johari said the organisation of the 2025 Borneo Games, which brought together athletes from Sarawak, Sabah, the Federal Territory of Labuan, Brunei Darussalam and East Kalimantan, reflected the spirit of friendship and understanding among Borneo’s regions that remained strong.

The Games were first held in 1954 in Brunei Darussalam as a platform to unite athletes from Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.

After the 16th edition in 1970, the Games came to a halt due to various constraints before being revived from 2005 to 2013, with the last edition hosted in Labuan. After another 12-year hiatus, the Games returned to Kuching this year.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, in his speech, said the decision for East Kalimantan to host the 2027 Borneo Games was reached unanimously during a meeting held yesterday.

“Alhamdulillah, when it was tabled at the meeting, the Governor of East Kalimantan himself expressed readiness to host the next edition in Samarinda. Unanimously, all agreed that the 2027 Borneo Games will take place in East Kalimantan.

“The uniqueness of the Borneo Games is that there is no age limit compared to the Malaysia Games (SUKMA), which is capped at under-21. This gives those who have competed at the national level the chance to continue competing here, while also preparing for the SEA Games and even the Olympics,” he said.

Abdul Karim said he was confident the 2027 edition would be more vibrant with the possibility of wider participation from the five contingents of Sarawak, Sabah, Labuan, Brunei and East Kalimantan.

-- BERNAMA