Day: June 25, 2024

SURABAYA, Malaysia has been chosen to host the ASEAN University Games (AUG) 2026, said Higher Education Ministry official Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli.

Pekan, the ministry’s Sports Section, Strategic Planning Division deputy secretary, said the decision was made at the ASEAN University Sports Council (AUSC) technical meeting attended by Malaysia and Cambodia here today.

He said the hosting rights for this year’s AUG were supposed to belong to Malaysia but Indonesia offered to host it in Surabaya-Malang.

“So, rightfully it should be Malaysia’s turn to host AUG 2026, but Cambodia also offered to stage it, forcing the meeting to be held to determine the host.

“Malaysia has been chosen to host AUG 2026. This is the right decision made by the AUSC secretariat in the meeting, thus sidelining Cambodia’s intention to take over as the host,” he told reporters here today.

He said this opportunity also gives Malaysia an advantage to aim for the champion title at AUG 2026, making it a key platform to develop more athletes
from higher education institutions to represent the country at the SEA Games 2027.

Yesterday, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said the ministry was ready to host AUG 2026 after the Cabinet approved its bid last Thursday.

Mustapha said hosting AUG 2026 in Malaysia also can provide the country with the best preparation for hosting the SEA Games 2027.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEPANG, National sprint champion Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi is resigned to the possibility of not being given a wildcard to compete in the 100 metres (m) event at the Paris 2024 Olympics next month.

The Perak-born athlete said he is still young and has a chance to fulfil his dream of competing in the 2028 edition in Los Angeles.

“If I am not selected for the Paris Olympics using a wildcard, I will not be slighted or disappointed because, for me, the parties concerned will be making the best choice.

“I will accept any decision with an open heart. If I don’t have the chance to compete in the Paris Olympics this year, my goal will certainly be LA2028.

“By that time, I will be 24 years old. God willing, if I am given a long life and the opportunity to run, that will be the right moment for me to peak,” he said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.

Azeem missed out on a ticket to qualify on merit either through the qualifying standard or ranking when he failed to win the men’s
100m at the Kazakhstan Open in Almaty on Saturday.

He finished third with a time of 10.37 seconds (s), behind winner Puripol Boonson of Thailand (10.23s) and silver medallist Kayhan Ozer of Turkiye (10.25s).

Azeem said if he fails to get a wildcard to compete in the prestigious event, his focus will be on the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024, which will be held in Sarawak in August.

According to the national 100m record holder, he does not mind if he is labelled a ‘local hero’ as he intends to repay the contributions of his home state, which has greatly supported his career development.

“If you ask me, I want to help Perak because the Perak State Sports Council (MSN) has helped me a lot since I was young. Even when I was 14 years old, the state MSN helped me a lot and provided me with training equipment and accommodation, like at the previous SUKMA in Kuala Lumpur and Perak.

“This is the story of a Teluk Intan boy with a big dream. If there is a chance to represent Perak at SUKMA, I will do my best. The main
mission is to hunt for two gold medals in the 100m and 200m events,” said Azeem, who will be competing in the 2024 ASEAN University Games (AUG) in Malang and Surabaya.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, National top men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia looks determined to make his mark at the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in July, Malaysia’s Chef de Mission to Paris 2024 Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said.

The world number seven shuttler looked excited about making his second Olympics appearance in Paris, he added.

‘I could see Zii Jia’s determination and spirit to prove something in Paris. Zii Jia also informed me that he is indeed looking forward to this Olympic Games to achieve something for Malaysia.

‘I told Zii Jia to maintain his focus during training and once he reaches Paris, to take every match as it comes. We will wait for the badminton draw, which is expected to take place on July 12,’ he said in a post on the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) Facebook page today.

Hamidin had visited Zaii Jia, who won last week’s Australia Open, and his team at Sports Arena Sentosa, here earlier today.

Zii Jia is back in Malaysia for his final lap of preparation before departing for Paris.

The 26-year-o
ld athlete is currently training under coach Wong Tat Meng, together with his sparring partners Lee Shun Yang, Lim Chong King, Tan Choong Yen and Ter Chun Long.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEPANG, National women’s 400 metres (m) record holder Shereen Samson Vallabuoy still hopes to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris despite failing to qualify on merit through her time or ranking in her favourite event.

The 25-year-old athlete said although there is a possibility of switching to the 100m event in the competition, she will accept any decision made by the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) with an open heart.

“I think that both Muhammad Azeem Fahmi and I have worked hard. At the end of the day, both of us want to take the wildcard and run in the Olympics.

“Whatever the decision is, I will be thankful and happy for both of us and accept it,” she said when met by reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here today.

Shereen failed to qualify for Paris 2024 despite winning the Kazakhstan Open in Almaty on Saturday. She took gold with a time of 52.60 seconds (s) but fell short of the qualifying standard of 50.95s for an automatic ticket to the Olympics.

The Olympic Games will
be held from July 26-Aug 11.

Shereen said if she fails to get the wildcard, she hopes to be given time to continue her training in the United States under coach Darrick White.

She said training in the United States would be good for her to prepare for major events like the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2026.

“I don’t know how it will work after this, so I will meet up with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council to discuss my future. My long-term goal is to run in LA 2028, the World Championships, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.

“I think my running is more solid and not breaking down like before, and I also see a lot of improvement. I would like to continue training there for the coming years,” she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Selangor FC received a heavy blow after, among other things, they were fined RM100,000 and see three points deducted in the 2024/2025 Super League following their failure to play in the Charity Shield match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor last month.

The Red Giants also has to pay compensation for the losses incurred by Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) as the host team for the opening match of the season and the Malaysian Football League (MFL) with the amounts to be paid to be announced later.

In addition, the 14th Super League match between Selangor and JDT at the Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium (MBPJ) will be played without spectators.

MFL said in a statement today that all the decisions were made after the MFL Board of Directors held a meeting to discuss the case of Selangor’s non-attendance at the Charity Shield match against JDT which was supposed to take place on May 10.

However, MFL did not specify the effective date of all the fines and if there is room for Selang
or to appeal.

The three-point cut saw Selangor, who are currently second in the Super League with nine points, drop to fifth in the table.

Last month, Selangor had to withdraw from playing in the Charity Shield match following a spate of criminal incidents and threats on several players including their winger Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim who fell victim to an acid attack on May 5.

Selangor’s emphasis was on safety of team and staff and would not compromise on the matter.

The result saw JDT given a ‘walkover victory’ with a score of 3-0 and three points in the Super League.

In the meantime, MFL informed that the RM100,000 fine imposed on Selangor will be donated to a charity to be decided later.

Explaining the action of Super League week 14 at the MBPJ Stadium, the governing body of the Malaysian League explained that the operation of the match will be carried out in collaboration between MFL and the home team.

According to the statement, “The conditions to allow selected representatives from both clubs t
o attend will be decided on match day.”

Source: BERNAMA News Agency