BANGKOK: The Malaysian contingent reached a major milestone at the SEA Games after clinching its 50th gold medal, with new Youth and Sports Minister, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari, expressing pride in the achievement.
The landmark gold was delivered in the shooting event, before the national team added a 51st gold through bowling later in the day, further strengthening Malaysia’s overall medal haul at the Games.
Dr Taufiq, who was attending the squash finals at Vajiravudh College today, described the achievement as a proud moment for the country, praising the collective effort of athletes, officials and support staff.
“Today we achieved our 50th gold through shooting, followed by the 51st gold in bowling. This is an achievement that I am very proud of. We have now surpassed our target of 200 medals, and we hope, God-willing, to achieve even more,” he told reporters.
As of 2:00 pm today, the Malaysian contingent had collected 51 gold, 51 silver and 110 bronze medals, bringing the total medal count to 212, well beyond the initial target set for the Games.
He also congratulated all athletes and members of the Malaysian delegation for their dedication and teamwork in raising the country’s profile on the regional stage.
This marks Dr Taufiq’s first SEA Games appearance since his appointment as Youth and Sports Minister, a role he assumed following the recent Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last Tuesday (Dec. 16).
The Sungai Petani Member of Parliament replaced Hannah Yeoh, who has taken on a new role as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).
“As a minister, this is my first duty to witness the SEA Games, and God-willing, we are looking forward to making great preparations for the upcoming SEA Games (in Malaysia 2027),” he added.
