KUCHING: The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) is planning to bring major international tournaments back to the state in 2026, including a proposed revival of the Sarawak Open and a BWF Super 100 event.
SBA Honorary Secretary, Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, said the association is currently in discussions to reintroduce the Sarawak Open, which has not been held for some time, as part of efforts to raise Sarawak’s profile on the international badminton stage.
“In 2026, SBA is in the process of planning to bring a major tournament to Sarawak. One of the plans is to revive the Sarawak Open, and at the same time, we are also exploring the possibility of hosting a BWF Super 100 tournament,” he told reporters recently.
Wan Khalik said SBA is working closely with relevant stakeholders, including Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and related bodies, to assess the feasibility of hosting a BWF Super 100 event, noting that the tournament was held in Johor last year.
He added that Kuching has a strong history of hosting top-level badminton events, including the Malaysia Open in 2017, which featured a memorable final between Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan.
“That final remains one of the sweetest memories in Lee Chong Wei’s career, and Sarawak has proven before that it is capable of hosting major international events,” he said.
Wan Khalik said bringing high-level tournaments back to Sarawak would have a positive impact on local players, Malaysian shuttlers and international participants by providing valuable exposure and raising competitive standards.
On athlete development, he expressed confidence in national player Wong Ling Ching, who is currently ranked 43 in the world.
“We believe she has a strong chance to perform well at upcoming major competitions, including the SEA Games, and we hope she can contribute a gold medal for Malaysia in the future,” he said.
Wan Khalik also thanked the Sarawak government for its continued support, noting that while funding remains a challenge due to the high cost of sending players to competitions outside the state, the Sarawak Sports Council has been supportive on a case-by-case basis, particularly in covering travel and accommodation expenses.
He said SBA has also begun preparations for the upcoming Malaysia Games (SUKMA), with a selection trial scheduled later this month, followed by centralised training to ensure the team is well prepared.
“Our target is to bring home at least one gold medal, as we did in the previous Sukma,” he said.
Wan Khalik said strong results at the National Interstate U12 and U16 Championships 2025 reflect positive progress in SBA’s junior programme.
