KUALA LUMPUR – The exclusion of kabaddi and silambam in the 2024 Malaysian Games (Sukma) is a disgrace to the reputation of the biennial national multisport event.
Following National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail’s comments on Sukma selection criteria yesterday, former youth and sports minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu stressed that kabaddi and silambam should have been listed.
He said the current Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who also serves as the Sukma supreme committee chairman, has the power to reconsider their decision.
“Even having listed the sports to contend, the current Sukma supreme committee chaired by minister Hannah Yeoh, could still reconsider their decision with all the other sports executive councils in it.
“In fact, the minister should intervene and make sure the sports (kabaddi and silambam) could be included.
“Yes, we have core sports that we need to focus on, but Sukma is about encouraging participation from athletes nationwide,” he told The Vibes.
Faizal added kabaddi and silambam have become popular sports in Malaysia, including among non-Indians.
He said, when he and then Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan met Kabaddi Associations of Malaysia honorary secretary Peter Gopi last year, they agreed to include the sports in the upcoming Sukma.
He explained, as long as the association could send enough entries, they deserve to compete.
The sports were also introduced in the previous edition in September as demonstration sports to prepare them for the upcoming Sukma.
He also said kabaddi and silambam deserve to compete in the upcoming Sukma as the teams have begun their preparation and are ready to send entries.
He compared their preparation much better to that of aquatic teams who failed to provide enough participation in the 2022 Sukma.
“When I heard that the NSC decided to scrap the two sports, it is very unfortunate as preparations have been done,” he said.
“We spoke (with Peter) last year and agreed on the addition of kabaddi and silambam (into the Sukma medal tally).
“There were no glitches during the previous Sukma (when we introduced the sports as a demonstration).
“I am disappointed because, in the last Sukma, a lot of states did not do their work properly when they did not prepare the aquatic teams such as diving. They could not get enough talent. That is a core sport, mind you.”
In July last year, it was reported that the women’s diving event was cancelled due to the technical rule of minimum participation.
Then Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said for any event to be contested in Sukma, it needs to have the participation of at least eight state contingents.
However, when the Sukma supreme committee reduced the number from eight to six, there is still not enough entries as they received participation of less than six.
“As long as kabaddi and silambam have enough teams to send (for 2024 Sukma), they should be allowed to participate.
“Sukma is to prepare our athletes for the next big games such SEA Games and Asian Games.
“We were very committed to ensuring the two sports are listed in the 2024 Sukma,” he said.
Recently, The Vibes spoke with the national kabaddi players.
They hoped that the sport could get the right support from both the Youth and Sports Ministry and the NSC to at least be included in the 2027 SEA Games, which will take place in Malaysia. – The Vibes, March 27, 2023
