PUTRAJAYA — Malaysia has officially named 20 core sports to be prioritised under a new national high-performance strategy aimed at improving athlete development and international results.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s sports ecosystem—and ensuring resources are channelled more effectively.
“This identification can bring significant impact by guiding ministries, agencies and stakeholders in designing programmes and policies related to sports development,” he said in a statement after chairing the year’s first Cabinet Committee on Sports Development (JKPS) meeting in Putrajaya.
The 20 selected sports are aquatics (swimming & diving), weightlifting, badminton, cycling (track), lawn bowls, esports, gymnastics (artistic & rhythmic), hockey, karate, archery, shooting, athletics, sailing, table tennis, sepak takraw, silat, squash, taekwondo, tenpin bowling and wushu.
Zahid said the list will be reviewed every four years, in line with the Olympic cycle.
The sports were selected based on several key indicators, including participation and performance in international competitions, sports management, and athlete development programmes.
Among the 20 named is esports, a rising discipline that has already delivered medals at the Asian Games and is seeing surging participation among youth. The Youth and Sports Ministry has been tasked with developing esports programmes for 2025.
Meanwhile, the National Unity Ministry will continue spearheading inclusive sports efforts designed to foster integration across racial, religious, and socio-economic lines.
Zahid added that the Education Ministry will also intensify the implementation of the One Student One Sport (1M1S) policy to help identify and nurture young talent at the school level.
“These efforts demonstrate the government’s commitment to discovering new talents across various sports disciplines,” he said. — April 14, 2025