Malaysia's SEA Games nightmare, a wake-up call for national sports

KUALA LUMPUR -- The recently concluded SEA Games in Cambodia have delivered a resounding wake-up call to Malaysian sports.

This was the sobering admission by Chef de Mission Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali who emphasised the need to evaluate the quality of athletes rather than the quantity of medals, urging a shift in perspective.

Speaking at the Malaysia Contingent Performance Cambodia SEA Games 2023 Summary press conference, Nasir acknowledged that although the contingent had given their best effort, they fell short of their target.

"We have done our best. The Institut Sukan Negara (ISN) has done a good job for our country. However, in the end, our athletes tried their best, but we didn't reach the target.

"If we look qualitatively, we can unearth new talent," he said.

Malaysia's disappointing seventh-place finish, with 34 golds, 45 silvers, and 97 bronzes, marked the country’s worst-ever performance in SEA Games history, underscoring the urgent need for reflection and improvement.

Nonetheless, Nasir also highlighted breakout talents like 20-year old Umar Osman, who shattered national records in the men's 400m, hence Nasir called for a qualitative assessment of achievements.

"Again, I am satisfied, and I wish our Malaysian sport the best of luck,” Nasir remarked.

Malaysia's crowning achievement in SEA Games of recent years was in 2017 where it won first place but has since then slumped on a declining trend placing fifth in 2019; sixth in 2021 and seventh in 2023.