PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Polytechnic and Community College (POLYCC) contingent has etched its name into history by achieving a record-breaking haul of 14 medals at the 31st Fira Roboworld Cup & Summit 2026 in Canada.
The national contingent exceeded expectations by bringing home six gold, five silver and three bronze medals.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the achievement reflected the strength of Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem in producing globally competitive talent.
“The achievement is not merely a victory in a robotics competition but also proof that the country’s TVET ecosystem continues to produce highly skilled, innovative and globally competitive human capital,” he said in a statement when congratulating the team yesterday.
Held in Markham, Ontario, from July 17 to 21, the competition saw the Malaysian contingent surpass last year’s tally of five gold, three silver and five bronze medals at the 2025 edition in South Korea.
The contingent comprised representatives from Sultan Idris Shah Polytechnic, Port Dickson Polytechnic and Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Polytechnic, who competed in the HuroCup, Fira Air and Autonomous Car Challenge categories.
Besides the record medal haul, Malaysia also secured the rights to host the 32nd Fira Roboworld Cup & Summit next year, marking another milestone for the country’s robotics and TVET sectors.
In a Facebook post, Fira Malaysia Chapter president Dr Mohd Daud Isa described this year’s campaign as POLYCC’s most successful to date, citing not only the record medal haul but also Malaysia’s successful bid to host next year’s tournament.
He commended the dedication of the students, lecturers and support team in delivering Malaysia’s strongest performance at the competition.
Among the contingent’s standout achievements was a clean sweep of all three gold medals in the Fira Air category, namely the Emergency Delivery for Precision Landing on a Moving Platform, Emergency Delivery for Autonomous Object Pushing and Autonomous Race for Narrow Gate Navigation.
In the Autonomous Car Challenge (Pro) category, the Malaysian team won one gold and four silver medals, earning the world runner-up title after finishing second overall.
The team also claimed a silver medal in the HuroCup Pro (Mobility) category and finished third overall in the world, adding a bronze medal to its overall tally.
In a statement, POLYCC said the achievement demonstrated that its students possess the talent, skills and competitiveness to match participants from leading universities and institutions around the world.
