KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian sports will require at least RM500 million annually over the next four years, with several multi-sport events, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, on the horizon.
The Road to Gold (RTG) programme will soon enter its second phase, aimed at the LA Games and other major international competitions following the disappointment at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Malaysian sports is hoping for substantial funding as the country's financial blueprint (Budget 2025) for next year will be unveiled at the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.
In 2023, the government allocated RM20 million for the RTG initiative, RM72 million to enhance the Podium Programme ecosystem and RM50 million in matching grants to support the hosting of high-performance sporting events in the country.
Sports critic Sadek Mustafa believes more substantial funding is essential to comprehensively invest in Malaysian sports and finally achieve the elusive Olympic gold medal.
"The National Sports Associations (NSAs) need proper strategies to meet their targets, especially with the 2025 Thailand Sea Games, the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the 2027 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, and the 2028 LA Olympics all in sight," he said.
"The next four years will be packed with major assignments for national athletes.
"We must get the planning right, starting from the Sea Games all the way to the Olympics. There are plenty of benchmarks for the Youth and Sports Ministry during this period."
Sadek estimates that RM500 million per year will be required to invest in high-performance sports.
"With major events on the horizon — and Malaysia hosting the 2027 Sea Games — our athletes need strong support as they prepare for the LA Olympics," he added.
Sadek also stressed that populist decisions in awarding funds to popular sports should stop, with priority given to sports that have a real shot at delivering Olympic gold medals.
"The government needs to be selective in how funds are allocated. It's unfair for popular sports to receive massive incentives when they aren't producing results," said Sadek, a senior lecturer in Sports Science and Recreation at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
"We have less popular sports like weightlifting, which came close to winning a medal at the Paris Olympics.
I believe sports like these deserve more support, as even a small investment can yield quick results — and at a lower cost."