Kuala Lumpur: The government will expedite the approval of funding for the establishment of the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Academy, aiming to realize the project by the end of this year, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that the proposal for the academy comes to fruition.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Prime Minister acknowledged Malaysia’s strong football presence, highlighted by a recent victory against Vietnam, but noted that sepak takraw has also achieved significant success on both regional and global stages. The sport has captured interest across both urban and rural areas. During the National Youth Day 2025 celebration at Dataran Merdeka, Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh stressed the importance of supporting the national team and the establishment of the academy, a suggestion that Anwar agreed to expedite.

Hannah Yeoh has requested an allocation of RM6 million for the academy’s setup. The Prime Minister assured that the request would be approved, citing the government’s commitment to prudent spending, good governance, and the avoidance of corruption and misuse of public funds.

In his address, Prime Minister Anwar also announced an increase in the allocation for the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) from RM3 million to RM4 million. He encouraged the youth to actively contribute to building Malaysia into a great nation and warned against succumbing to the divisive rhetoric of politicians who exploit racial issues.