SHAH ALAM, Aug 6 — Selangor hopes it will be the last host state to organise the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) without receiving federal funding.
State executive councillor for youth, sports and entrepreneurship Mohd Najwan Halimi said it was only appropriate for host states to receive financial assistance from the federal government, as SUKMA is a national sporting event organised under the National Sports Council (MSN).
“States play an important role in hosting SUKMA. As such, there should be some level of commitment or allocation from the federal government to help the organising state.
“When there is no allocation, the real issue is not the amount involved, but the poor precedent it sets. Other states may look at Selangor's experience and decide against volunteering to host SUKMA in the future.
“We do not want that to happen. Traditionally, SUKMA is hosted on a rotational basis among the states. After Selangor, we hope future host states will not face the same situation and be forced to rely entirely on their own funds,” he told Media Selangor yesterday.
Najwan was elaborating on his response to a supplementary question by Kota Damansara assemblyman Izuan Kasim during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday regarding the absence of federal funding or grants for SUKMA 2026.
“This situation is unhealthy because the organisation of SUKMA should also receive funding from the federal government,” he said.
He added that the lack of funding for Selangor had also been raised by representatives from several states during meetings with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), as previous host states had received federal financial assistance.
“State executive councillors from other states have raised this issue. Many states, including Perak and Pahang, have asked why Selangor did not receive an allocation.
“SUKMA is not just for Selangor. It is a national sporting event involving all states. That is why they are also concerned about this matter,” he said.
Najwan said most previous host states had received allocations of around RM50 million or more from KBS to help with preparations for the biennial Games.
During the State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday, he also said the cost of organising SUKMA 2026 had been reduced from RM203 million to about RM50 million through cost-saving measures approved by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, without compromising competition standards or athletes' welfare.
“Our focus is on the essential requirements for hosting the Games, such as competition venues and related facilities, rather than large-scale events. What is important is that preparations continue to ensure the Games are successfully organised,” he said.
The 22nd SUKMA will be held in Selangor from August 15 to 24, with the host state targeting 80 gold medals.
Selangor was appointed host of SUKMA 2026 in 2024, with the announcement made by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on July 22, 2025.
The federal minister responsible at the time was Hannah Yeoh, who is now the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories). The Youth and Sports portfolio has been held by Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari since December 2025.
