Forget the high of 1998, Commonwealth Games is low priority now

IT was electrifying, the kind of atmosphere that gives you goosebumps. Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil, now called Axiata Arena, was packed to the rafters.

And when national gymnasts Thye Chee Kiat, Carolyn Au Yong, El Regina Tajudin and S. Sarina emerged as the champions, pipping favourites Canada by a whisker to win the country’s sixth gold medal in the team rhythmic gymnastics, the place erupted.

The celebration was deafening. No one had expected Malaysia to get ahead of heavyweights Canada who had earlier swept all five individual golds through the flawless Erika Leigh Stirton.

The euphoria was fantastic with Malaysia standing proud as the hosts of the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

The gymnasts were in tears, the fans were chanting in joy and Malaysians from all walks of life celebrated. National pride was everywhere.

It was the same at every other venue where we won, like in badminton (Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Wong Choong Hann and men’s team), boxing (Sapok Biki), bowling (Kenny Ang and Kenny-Ben Heng), shooting (Nurul Huda Baharin), weightlifting (Mohd Hidayat Hamidon) and athletics (G. Saravanan).

Malaysia ended their campaign with a total of 10 golds - their best ever achievement. It felt so great.

Fast forward 26 years and we now have a chance to host the Commonwealth Games again. Will that be a great thing too?

Despite the chest-thumping fond memories, I have to say no.

There are many reasons but the most important one is, of course, cost. We are all grimly reminded of what happened after the celebrations in the arena subsided in 1998.

We ended up RM10mil in debt, and our cost of running the whole Games went way off the target. Now, 26 years on, the accounts have yet to be closed.

In 1996, the expenditure ballooned from RM261mil to RM304mil – and that was two years before the Games.

We are now being asked to host the 2026 edition because a fairly rich, developed nation like Australia does not want to play host due to rising costs.

Think about it. Australia has better facilities, better athletes and greater chance of winning medals, it has already spent a lot on the Games, yet it wants out and is even willing to pay a RM1.17bil penalty for pulling out.

And Malaysia has to take over with a “subsidy” of RM600mil? Something just does not make sense.

I have returned to the Axiata Arena many times since 1998 and I can tell you one thing, the toilets there need some serious upgrading – unless you go to the VIP room! Even our National Stadium can’t host a proper match due to pitch issues.

The facilities built for the 1998 Games went through some upgrades when we hosted the SEA Games in 2017 but most still need massive work – and it will cost a lot.

And where are we to put up the thousands of athletes from 74 Commonwealth nations?

Can we build homes in two years that can then be put on sale after the Games. That will be costly too.

There are other things we need to work on – the ticketing system, our Internet services, the scoring system and even the transportation system.

We became a story in the front page of Bangkok Times when Thai reporters were left stranded without proper transportation at the last KL Games.

And don’t let me get started on tenders, profiteering and the politicking that goes on, both in and outside of sports. I believe the millions we need to spend for the Games can be put to better use.

We first need a rescue plan for Malaysian sport, not try to rescue a Games that continues to lose its relevance.

We have started the Road to Gold programme under the leadership of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and we need to stay focused.

The hope is to do well at the Paris Olympics this year, although we probably will have the smallest contingent ever but the ultimate goal is to hit the jackpot at the 2028 Los Angeles edition.

Then, there is the Fast Track programme, Podium programme, and so many development programmes that require millions. We need to get the foundation right to build a huge base of talents.

Hosting a major Games now will be a major distraction.

We need to build a sporting nation with good governance in sports. Hosting a multi-sports Games now is not likely to be electrifying.

Instead, it could be a shocking waste of resources.