Malaysia’s flagbearer holds the nationwide flag in the course of the opening ceremony of the thirty first Southeast Asian Video games (SEA Video games) on the My Dinh Nationwide Stadium in Hanoi on Could 12, 2022. (Photograph by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP)
A authorities minister says that “all Malaysians are disenchanted” with what’s threatening to be the nation’s lowest inserting on the SEA Video games in practically 40 years.
Historically a regional energy, sports activities minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu sounded the alarm regardless of Malaysian athletes on Friday reaching the nation’s goal of 36 golds with two days of competitors to go.
However Malaysia languished sixth within the medals desk as of Saturday morning, with hosts Vietnam method out in entrance with 167 golds, adopted by Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Philippines.
“All Malaysians are disenchanted as a result of we aren’t at the next place,” Ahmad mentioned on the Video games on Friday, in response to state information company Bernama.
“We shouldn’t be contented with our sixth place on the Video games.”
Malaysia is often within the regional prime 5 and the final time it settled for sixth was in 1983, when solely eight nations took half, in comparison with the present 11.
It comes with Malaysia set to compete on the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, England in July-August, whereas the Asian Sports later this 12 months in China have been indefinitely postponed.
“The publicity gained on the SEA Video games is essential for us to realize extra success in different multi-sport Video games just like the Commonwealth Video games and Asiad,” mentioned Ahmad.
The Malaysian authorities slashed sports activities spending final 12 months to 289 million ringgit ($67 million) from 940 million ringgit the 12 months earlier than.
It additionally minimize down its full-time variety of athletes from 432 to 288, months after a poor Tokyo Olympics displaying of 1 silver and one bronze.
Malaysia made a robust begin on the SEA Video games, successful all eight golds in diving, with the remainder of the medals scattered throughout different sports activities.
The nation’s final doable hope for extra medals could relaxation in badminton, one of many few sports activities it does properly in internationally, with semi-finals and finals over the subsequent two days.
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