Bangkok: National sepak takraw head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun has described the draw for the men’s quadrant, regu, and team regu events at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games as ‘balanced’. Although he does not expect the national squad to have any problems advancing to the knockout rounds, he was quick to remind them not to underestimate their opponents in the earlier rounds.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Jais emphasized the importance of focusing on clearing the group stages and reaching the finals. “For me, the draw this time can be considered balanced. Our focus is on clearing the group stages and making it to the final. So, we cannot look down on our opponents and must focus on getting our act right each time we play,” he stated during an interview.

In the draw held in Bangkok on Sunday, the men’s team regu received a favourable draw when they were placed in Group A alongside Myanmar, the Philippines, and Singapore. For the regu event, Malaysia has been drawn in Group A with Laos and Vietnam. As for the quadrant event, Malaysia finds themselves in Group B with Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, and Vietnam.

Commenting on the women’s team, Ahmad Jais acknowledged the challenges they face after being drawn with Thailand in the team regu and quadrant events. Despite this, he remains optimistic about their chances, expressing confidence that they will not return home empty-handed and should secure at least a bronze medal.

At the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the national sepak takraw squad achieved notable success, bagging a total of four silver and four bronze medals.