Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Boules Sports Federation (MBSF) has approached the upcoming 2025 SEA Games with measured optimism, setting a target for the national petanque team to secure four medals, regardless of their color. The games are slated to take place in Thailand from December 9-20, 2025.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, MBSF acting president Cheah Ban Cheng expressed hopes for clinching at least one gold medal across the 11 events. “We are hunting for one gold, but we need to be realistic. We have a specific target, but we can’t share it. this is a strategic game,” Cheah stated. Acknowledging the strength of the host nation’s team, who recently claimed the men’s and women’s world championship titles, Cheah emphasized the need for a calculated approach. “Of course, we have our own strategy. I believe we should be able to deliver a minimum of one gold medal,” he added.
Cheah made these remarks during a media conference held to launch the official MBSF website and to ceremonially hand over the Jalur Gemilang to the national petanque squad heading to the SEA Games 2025 at Wisma OCM. He noted that Cambodia’s withdrawal from the games might increase Malaysia’s chances of securing a place on the podium. “We only learned about it through the media… that Cambodia have withdrawn from the Games. With Cambodia withdrawing, the chances of our athletes getting on the podium will be much higher,” Cheah commented. The national squad includes 12 male and 12 female athletes, with the men’s team featuring Saiful Bahri Musmim, Muhamad Hafizuddin Mat Daud, and Syed Akmal Fikri Syed Ali, who have been instrumental in winning all five of Malaysia’s gold medals in past SEA Games.
In the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, Malaysia bagged one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals, while the 2017 edition saw their best performance with two golds, one silver, and three bronzes. The newly launched MBSF website aims to be a central hub for information on the national team, including athlete profiles, results, umpire certification pathways, affiliate member lists, and community development. This initiative underscores MBSF’s commitment to transparency, communication enhancement, and long-term development.