Preparations For 2027 SEA Games Nearly 80 Pct complete – Dr Mohammed Taufiq

By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar and Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

PUTRAJAYA, March 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is ramping up preparations to host the SEA Games for the seventh time, with four main clusters set across Sarawak, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur for the 2027 edition.

With less than 600 days remaining until the 34th SEA Games officially open on Sept 18, 2027, Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the country’s preparations to host the biennial multi-sport event, which will feature 38 sports, are nearly 80 per cent complete.

“We are approaching full readiness. Athletes are steadily improving their preparation, while facilities and related arrangements are about 70 to 80 per cent complete.

“Discussions on finalising the number of sports are around 90 per cent complete, with only a few appeals and final assessments remaining to confirm which sports we will host,” he told Bernama during an exclusive interview led by editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj at the minister’s office recently.

Sarawak will serve as the main host cluster for the 2027 SEA Games, for the opening ceremony, with 17 sports: aquatics, weightlifting, basketball, bowling, lawn bowls, e-sports, gymnastics, golf, cricket, archery, shooting, Muay Thai, petanque, squash, taekwondo, tennis and wushu.

The Penang cluster will host six sports: sepak takraw, snooker and billiards, judo, boxing, table tennis, and floorball, while the Johor cluster will feature only football.

Kuala Lumpur will host the closing ceremony along with 14 sports: badminton, cycling (Velodrome Nasional, Nilai), volleyball, netball, equestrian, hockey, karate, fencing, ice skating, athletics, pencak silat, sailing (Langkawi), rugby, and water skiing.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Taufiq said the national athletes have already completed the first phase of their preparations for the 2027 SEA Games at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Perak.

He explained that this initial phase included training sessions with the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Malaysian National Defence Academy, aimed at instilling patriotism and motivating athletes to compete fiercely and win as many medals as possible on home ground.

The 2027 SEA Games are scheduled to take place from Sept 18 to 29. 

-- BERNAMA