KUALA LUMPUR: Olympic events will be prioritised when it comes to the selection of sports to be contested at the 2027 SEA Games to be hosted by Malaysia, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
She said that there is an understanding among Malaysia, Thailand (2025 SEA Games host) and Singapore (2029 SEA Games host) to emphasise sports contested at the Olympic Games.
“We will see the sports to be contested in (the) Thailand (SEA Games) at the end of this year (Dec 9-20),” she said at the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) Aidilfitri Open House 2025 at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
She said this when asked to comment on the views of Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, who recently called for events held at the Olympic Games to be given priority in the selection of sports for the 2027 SEA Games.
Hannah said the selection of events to be contested at the biennial Games would also depend on the financial allocation.
“For 2027, the key is the Olympic sports because there is an understanding among three nations… whether or not to add (any more events) will depend on our budget,” she said.
Malaysia is set to host the 34th edition of the SEA Games in 2027, with the involvement of four major cities – Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Penang and Johor Bahru.
– BERNAMA
