Mohd Hairi (seated left) with Williams (right, in black) in a group photo with Malaysian children during the signing ceremony in a hotel in Johor Baru.
SPORTS development in Johor is expected to gain significant momentum with the appointment of global icons as official sports ambassadors.
State youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said it was a historic first for Johor government when it appointed legendary New Zealand All Blacks rugby player Sonny Bill Williams as the official sports ambassador for the state.
“Welcome on board, Williams. The announcement made by Johor Sports Council (MSNJ) marked a significant milestone in the state’s sporting history.
“The initiative was made possible through the efforts of Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who is also the state youth patron,” he said.
It was reported on April 4 that Williams is the second global athlete named as Johor sports ambassador after the nation’s badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Mohd Hairi added that without Tunku Ismail’s vision and leadership, it would have been unlikely for the internationally renowned athlete to not only visit Johor but also accept a role in advancing the state’s sports scene.
“Under Tunku Ismail’s guidance, Johor is expected to see more aggressive development in sports over the next five years, aligning with the broader ambition of positioning Johor as a leading sports hub in the region,” he said.
He added that Williams was inspired by the achievements of Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club (JDT), and saw a strong alignment between his personal values as a professional athlete and the mission laid out by Tunku Ismail.
On March 12, Tunku Ismail named former world top shuttler Lee as Johor’s sports ambassador, adding that he would join other world-class athletes in driving sports and youth development initiatives in Johor.
Other sports icons expected to join Lee and Williams are former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former Australian footballer Tim Cahill among others.
Johor also plans to become a regional sporting hub by playing host to many international sporting events this year that will attract world class athletes.
MSNJ director Mohd Ekmaluddin Ishak said many sporting events including international competitions have been planned for this year.
“We played host to the ICC Under-19 women’s T20 World Cup, held at the Datuk Dr Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy and Oval at Taman Mutiara Rini in January.
“That tournament started the ball rolling for Johor in hosting other international sporting events and competitions for 2025,” he said.
Mohd Ekmaluddin added that the Johor International Boxing Championship was held at Larkin Arena in February, which saw retired Malaysian professional boxer Muhamad Farkhan Mohd Haron end his glittering career by retaining his WBC Asia Bridgeweight title with an undefeated record of 13-0.
“We also plan to host an international level cycling competition and a running event this year,” he added.
Mohd Ekmaluddin said the events were expected to draw in global athletes that would provide an opportunity for Johor athletes to compete and gain experience.
He said hosting sporting events would help expose Johor to other parts of the world.
He added that JDT football club’s presence in the AFC Champions League Elite was an example on how sports could help promote the state.
“In December last year, we signed an agreement with Nurmagomedov to open his gym in Johor.
“We believe it will put the state on the right track to becoming a regional sporting hub soon.
“We want people to immediately think of Johor when mentioning certain sports,” he said.
