Abd Karim: All 17 SEA Games 2027 events in Sarawak to be held in Kuching

SIBU (Dec 22): The National Sports Council has decided that all 17 sports events for the SEA Games 2027, which Sarawak is co-hosting, will take place in Kuching, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The state Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister told The Borneo Post this on Monday when asked if any sports were planned, or likely to be held, in Sibu.

“All the 17 SEA Games sports which Sarawak is co-hosting in 2027 are to be held in Kuching, as decided by National Sports Council,” disclosed Abdul Karim.

In his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on Dec 2, Abdul Karim revealed that Sarawak has been assigned to host 17 sports — the highest among the co-hosting states — and that Sarawak Stadium will host the SEA Games 2027 opening ceremony.

According to New Straits Times, Malaysia will, for the first time, use a four-cluster hosting model to spread competition venues across Sarawak, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

Sarawak will serve as the main cluster, hosting the opening ceremony along with 17 sports, namely aquatics, weightlifting, basketball, bowling, lawn bowls, esports, gymnastics, golf, cricket, archery, shooting, muay, petanque, squash, taekwondo, tennis and wushu.

Penang, on the other hand, will organise six sports — sepak takraw, snooker and billiards, judo, boxing, table tennis and floorball.

Johor will function as the football hub.

Kuala Lumpur will host 14 sports and the closing ceremony, with the programme featuring badminton, cycling at the National Velodrome in Nilai, volleyball, netball, equestrian, hockey, karate, fencing, ice skating, athletics, pencak silat, rugby, waterski, and sailing at the National Sailing Centre in Langkawi.

After chairing the Second Meeting of the 34th SEA Games and 14th Asean Para Games Organising Committee recently, then Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh was reported as saying that the SEA Games 2027 will take place from Sept 18-29.