KUCHING: Travel costs for Sarawak and Sabah contingents to the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2026 in Selangor may be slightly affected by global conflicts from the Middle East, particularly due to rising fuel expenses.
Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said Sarawak and Sabah are among those most impacted as teams are required to travel by air, unlike contingents in West Malaysia.
However, he assured that efforts are being made to manage and reduce the financial burden, including close coordination with the federal government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“We will try to address this issue and see where costs can be reduced,” he told reporters in a press conference at Baitulmakmur Building II today.
He then added that the state government is monitoring the situation closely.
Abdul Karim also noted that Malaysia’s fuel supply situation remains relatively stable, citing the continued passage of Malaysian oil tankers through key shipping routes as a positive sign for price stability.
“As it is also, I am very happy to see that the Malaysian oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz have been allowed through. Because of this, the price of fuel in Malaysia will probably be manageable as compared to other nations,” he said.
Abdul Karim said preparations are going well, including for athletes sent overseas for training ahead of SUKMA which will be held later in August, with several squads currently based abroad to improve performance.
“A lot of our athletes are overseas preparing for SUKMA. I know the (state) wushu (team) are in China now, in Tianjin,” he added.
He then expressed hope that the global situation would not persist for long, as prolonged uncertainty could place additional pressure on preparations and logistics.
