PETALING JAYA: The recent success of athletes, including shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei's world title victory in Paris in August, has not gone unnoticed.
The local sports industry received a boost when they were included in the government’s 2026 plans, with an allocation of RM580mil announced for the sector.
It was more than last year's allocation, where they were given only RM230mil.
Besides the shuttlers, Latif Romly broked his own record en route to winning the long jump event at the World Para Athletics Championships while Malaysia swept 25 golds at the Deaf SEA Games meet.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed the allocation during the tabling of Budget 2026 in Parliament on Friday (Oct 10).
The RM580mil allocation will go towards strengthening high-performance sports, including the Road to Gold programme, and preparations for the 2027 SEA Games and Asean Para Games, where Malaysia will once again play host to the biennial event.
It will also support the development of para and deaf athletes, as well as the maintenance and upgrading of youth and sports facilities nationwide, including school fields.
