No plans for new SEA Games co-host after Sabah’s withdrawal, says Hannah

PETALING JAYA: The youth and sports ministry has no plans to find another co-host for the 2027 SEA Games after Sabah withdrew due to a lack of proper facilities, minister Hannah Yeoh said.

Yeoh said the biennial games would go on as scheduled, with Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak remaining as co-hosts, Bernama reported.

Yeoh said having three states co-hosting the games was “enough”.

“There are no other states (involved) as we had sent out notices before this happened,” she was quoted as saying, referring to Sabah’s decision to pull out.

“Don’t worry, it will not be derailed even without Sabah. Further meetings on the hosting of the SEA Games will be held as soon as possible.”

Yesterday, it was reported that the Sabah government had pulled out of co-hosting duties due to a lack of proper facilities.

Sabah had previously offered to cover RM100 million to co-host the games.

However, Sabah finance minister Masidi Manjun later said the state government had yet to make any financial commitment involving the games given its inadequate sports facilities.

On Sept 5, the state Cabinet unanimously agreed to consider co-hosting the 2027 edition of the regional games.

Separately, Yeoh said the ministry was looking at ways to assist national women’s doubles professional shuttler Ng Qi Xuan, who is seeking financial aid to undergo surgery after dislocating her knee during the Malaysia Super 100 badminton tournament last week.

In an Instagram post, Qi Xuan said she needed between RM25,000 and RM30,000 for surgery and hospital bills as they were not covered by her insurance.

“The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will provide rehabilitation assistance and I have contacted National Sports Institute (NSI) chief executive officer Faedzal (Ahmad Faedzal Ramli) to see how else we can help her,” Yeoh said.