PUTRAJAYA: A new eSports arena will be set up at the KL Sports City (KLSC) in Bukit Jalil.
After the Axiata Arena was used for the M6 World Championship last week, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said a new venue is being earmarked for eSports.
She said they are looking at renovating an existing facility instead of building a new stadium.
"The National Stadium Board is working hard to prepare these facilities, but we need time to complete all the arrangements. Once the funding and preparations are finalised, we will announce the official location," said Yeoh.
"We aim to help build women's teams, as well as teams for senior citizens in eSports. Additionally, the ministry is focused on nurturing talent at the grassroots level, especially in schools, to encourage more children to get involved in eSsports.
"We also want to promote healthy and safe practices for young athletes while emphasising balance in their lives."
Commenting on the 2025 KBS Sports Fund, Yeoh said RM30 million has been allocated for the Sports Matching Grant programme, while RM25 million has been set aside for the Community Sports Grant and National Sports Trust Fund initiatives.
She added that the ministry has revised the guidelines and streamline the applications next year to promote greater transparency. Among the key updates are restrictions ensuring that only national sports associations (NSAs) and not private companies, can apply for matching grants.
On top of that, from 2026, the ministry's approval is required before any bids to host international tournaments can proceed.
"Previously, there were instances where bidding was done without the ministry's approval. Some of these events were poorly organised, tarnishing Malaysia's reputation. We cannot allow this to happen," Yeoh added.