Its minister, Hannah Yeoh, said the event, which is expected to feature fighters from Malaysia and Indonesia, cannot go ahead as it has not received official approval from the ministry.

“Although they have started promoting the event, it is not listed in our list of approved events. This means there is no permission from the ministry, and without our approval, the event cannot take place,” she said after launching the Jaguh Rakan Muda reality TV programme here today.

Yeoh said the ministry has repeatedly reminded organisers to obtain its approval before hosting any sports competition, especially those involving foreign participants.

She said the application process is crucial to ensure the safety of participants and spectators, including through insurance and permit verification.

“Each application typically takes about 30 days to process, and organisers must comply with the set conditions to ensure the event’s content and execution are conducted safely,” she said.

Yeoh said most of the public feedback expressed opposition to the event, as it was inconsistent with safe sports values and culture.

“In this case, many parents were angry after seeing the promotional video showing children fighting.

“As we know, not all content is suitable for Malaysian society, especially when we are dealing with bullying cases and the government is actively countering such trends,” she said.

She said the government remains firm in its policy to protect the younger generation and will not support any content or event that promotes elements of violence or bullying in society.

“I don’t care how many views you get … I have a responsibility, and we are enforcing our Safe Sport Code.

“Given the current trend of bullying cases, the government simply cannot support such content. I’m sorry, but we cannot endorse it,” she said.

The promotional video for the championship drew public criticism after it featured a fight scene between two child fighters from Malaysia and Indonesia.