SEA Games’ Broadcasting Centre development ahead of schedule

KUCHING: The International Broadcasting Centre being developed for the 2027 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is ahead of schedule and will be ready before the Games open.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the centre, being developed beside the Baitulmakmur building, would play an important role in disseminating information and data from the Games to participating countries and audiences worldwide.

He said preparations for the centre were progressing “ahead of time” as part of the wider preparations for the Games.

“The International Broadcasting Centre is being developed beside the Baitulmakmur building. It is also, I am informed, ahead of time at the moment and must be ready before the SEA Games.

“That is where broadcasting and dissemination of information and certain data to the countries involved and also the world will take place,” he told reporters.

Abdul Karim said the centre would be crucial in ensuring information from the Games could be distributed quickly, with participating countries expected to follow developments in real time.

“We are quite focused on this so that data, information and so on can be easily channelled to the countries involved because they also want to see what is happening by the minute, by the hour,” he said.

Earlier in his address at the one-year countdown to the SEA Games 2027 launching ceremony at The Spring here on Friday (Sept 18), Abdul Karim said preparations extended beyond competition venues.

He said infrastructure, technology, logistics, security, medical services, transportation and accommodation were also being addressed as part of the overall preparations.

“To date, we are enhancing certain venues to support the Games. These projects should not be seen merely as requirements for 2027, but as part of our longer-term effort to strengthen Sarawak’s sporting capacity and readiness for future major events,” he said.

Abdul Karim said the facilities being enhanced, expertise developed and systems put in place should continue benefiting athletes, sports associations and communities long after the Games.

“We want SEA Games 2027 to leave behind a stronger sporting ecosystem, greater opportunities for our athletes, enhanced capabilities among our coaches, officials and sports administrators and a new generation of Sarawakians inspired to pursue excellence in sport,” he added.

The 2027 SEA Games are scheduled to be held from Sept 18 to 29 across four clusters – Sarawak, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.