KBS Ready To Boost Sports Matching Grant For Int’l Muay Thai Championship
TAIPING, May 4 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) is ready to increase the allocation for the Sports Matching Grant (GPS) to organise the Malaysia International Muay Championship (MIMAC) in the future, ensuring the event continues to be staged with excellence.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the commitment is part of the ministry's push to bolster grassroots sport and scout new talent to fly the nation's flag high on the world stage.
“We have the Community Sports Fund and GPS. For MIMAC 3.0, we approved RM150,000. It was a success this time, and insya-Allah, if we keep it going, we'll boost the Sports Matching Grant beyond this year's RM150,000,” he said while officiating the MIMAC 3.0 closing ceremony here last night.
Dr Mohammed Taufiq said Muay Thai is now seen as one of the nation’s future sports, thanks to the national squad’s haul of 10 medals at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
He expressed hope that the success will carry on, especially ahead of the 2027 SEA Games as Malaysia prepares to host and ramps up grassroots athlete development.
Dr Mohammed Taufiq told reporters that he hoped the grant would produce more grassroots Muay Thai athletes via MIMAC and inspire similar events across states, while assuring a review of the outdated Muay Thai arena and training centre in the district, in need of urgent upgrades, to safeguard athletes' welfare.
“…we’ll look into it. This is the first request, and we haven’t formally approved it yet. But I’ve noted it, and we’ll check the needs ourselves through the proper process.
“So, I see that as a commitment to check it out ourselves. We want more sports platforms for the community,” he said.
Earlier, Perak Tomoi Association president Mohd Ezry Azamin Abdul Wahab said its 14 affiliated clubs, with around 2,000 members, have applied for funding to upgrade facilities and build a main arena.
National Muay Thai fighter Muhammad Nazifi Mat Nasir, better known as GPY Ciko, won the 68-70kg category last night. He claimed the belt named after Perak Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs (MAYC) chairman Muhammad Naim Al Amin Saharudin by beating Morocco's Ousama Taoud via first-round disqualification.
Thailand's Phetpairin won the Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari belt, knocking out Malaysia's young gun Iskandar Danish Mohd Ezry in the first round of the 47kg class.
Thailand's Pettikca Petpanwasa outpointed Malaysia's Tisya in women's 49-50kg after three rounds and Morocco's Mehdi stopped Malaysia's Muhammad Ali Imran in the second round of 67kg.
-- BERNAMA
