SEPANG, Jan 7 — Selangor is planning more flexible accommodation arrangements for the 2026 Malaysia Games (Sukma), with the placement of athletes and contingent officials organised around the locations of competition venues to reduce travel time and traffic congestion.
State executive councillor for youth, sports, and entrepreneurship Mohd Najwan Halimi said Selangor is adopting a different approach compared with the fully centralised sports village concept implemented by previous host states.
“During the last Sukma in Sarawak, they provided a sports village and also used universities as accommodation for contingents.
“In Selangor, we may take a more flexible approach by providing accommodation according to venue locations so that athletes can travel more easily to competition sites. If the distance is too far, we will look for accommodation that is closer.
“This is because we do not want athletes to be burdened by having to wake up too early or having to endure traffic congestion, which, as we see in Selangor, is our main challenge,” he said at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.
Najwan had arrived from Sarawak in his capacity as the Sukma XXII Para Sukma Selangor 2026 chairman, after leading the Selangor delegation to bring home the Sukma torch from the previous edition’s host.
He added that contingents would be allowed to secure accommodation at hotels or homestays at rates to be negotiated with the operators involved.
“Sports associations and contingents may choose to stay in hotels or homestays; however, accommodation rates will be negotiated in advance,” Najwan said.
In addition, the use of residential colleges at higher learning institutions is also being considered as an alternative accommodation option.
“If there are contingents that wish to stay in a sports village, we will also hold discussions with higher education institutions such as UiTM to use their residential colleges,” he said.
In another development, the councillor said preparations for the biennial games have reached about 80 per cent completion, with infrastructure and sports facilities across the state being upgraded, with full completion targeted for April this year.
Two main venues currently undergoing comprehensive upgrading works are the Darul Ehsan Aquatic Centre (Pade) in Section 13, Shah Alam, and the Subang Shooting Range.
“Pade was last used during Sukma 1998. This marks a major upgrading exercise after nearly 30 years, involving improvements to technological facilities, including the sensor system,” Najwan said.
For the e-sports events, they will be held at the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Convention Centre in Taman Melawati, rather than at the Carlton Hotel as originally planned.
“Carlton Hotel is currently in the process of resolving several administrative issues involving the Land Office and MBI as the building supervisory agency, so it may take some time,” he said.
