BANGKOK: Mandy Ngieng created history at the SEA Games 2025 as the only Sarawakian female referee officiating basketball at the regional showpiece, capping a breakthrough year marked by resilience and rapid growth.
The 29-year-old Miri-born official described her SEA Games debut as an eye-opening experience, citing the opportunity to work alongside highly experienced referees, including several International Basketball Federation (FIBA) officials from across the region.
“I feel this is another level and a real eye-opener because you get to see how other countries officiate. This time, we had many neutral referees who are very experienced and come from different countries.
“We learn a lot from them — from game management, controlling the match, to decision-making. It’s something you really gain from being around them,” she told Sarawak Tribune when met in the Thai capital recently.
Her appearance in Bangkok came after she sustained a facial injury while officiating a Malaysia U23 Development League match at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 24, a setback that tested her resolve but ultimately strengthened her confidence heading into the regional meet.
Mandy credited the support of those around her for helping her regain belief in herself, saying the right environment and mindset played a key role in her readiness for the SEA Games stage.
“I think it really depends on who you are surrounded by. It’s about having the right people, at the right time, and the right mindset.
“Listening to them and being reminded that this is what you’ve trained for and what you’ve been working towards really helped. The confidence just came in naturally,” she said.
Mandy, who previously represented Sarawak as a player, is currently the only Sarawakian female FIBA referee to have officiated at the SEA Games.
“There are only two Sarawakian female FIBA referees. One is me, and the other is from Bintulu, but that was some years ago and she did not officiate at the SEA Games. So this time, it’s just me,” she said.
