PUTRAJAYA, March 18 — Since being entrusted with the Youth and Sports Minister’s post on December 16, 2025, one of Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari’s main focuses has been the hosting of the 2027 SEA Games.

With about 18 more months to go before Malaysia hosts the SEA Games, Mohammed Taufiq says the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) already has a clear plan to intensify promotion of the biennial Games.

In a recent exclusive interview with Bernama, led by Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, Mohammed Taufiq said the ministry will organise a series of roadshows for the 2027 SEA Games after this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations to boost the ‘vibe’ among Malaysians ahead of the official opening of the Games in Sarawak on September 18, 2027.

“We will hold a series of roadshows heading towards the 2027 SEA Games. We want all Malaysians to talk about the SEA Games year-round until September 2027.

“Actually, people are the best agents to be the spokespersons for the SEA Games. We may not need to spend more on marketing and so on if we are able to explain to the grassroots, in the villages, about the SEA Games,” he said when met at his office here.

Through the series of roadshows, Mohammed Taufiq aims to make the 2027 SEA Games attract the attention and involvement of every Malaysian, in addition to making the Games a much-awaited sports festival.

He added that the 2027 SEA Games roadshow, which will begin in Sarawak after Aidilfitri, is also aimed at gathering public feedback regarding the best measures to ensure the events are organised successfully.

Mohammed Taufiq also said that the official logo and mascot for the 2027 SEA Games, based on the competition organised by the ministry last year, would be announced soon.

The design competition for the official logo and mascot for the 34th SEA Games, held from October to December, 2025, offers the winner a cash prize of RM8,000 and a certificate.

Besides Sarawak, the 2027 SEA Games, which will involve 38 sports, will also be hosted in three other clusters: Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

Sarawak will be the main cluster and the venue for the opening ceremony, with 17 sports contested in the state: aquatics, weightlifting, basketball, bowling, lawn bowls, e-sports, gymnastics, golf, cricket, archery, shooting, muay Thai, petanque, squash, taekwondo, tennis and wushu.

Penang will host six sports: sepak takraw, snooker and billiards, judo, boxing, table tennis and floorball; while only football will be held in Johor.

Kuala Lumpur, meanwhile, will host the closing ceremony and 14 sports: badminton, cycling (National Velodrome, Nilai), volleyball, netball, equestrian, hockey, karate, fencing, ice skating, athletics, pencak silat, sailing (Langkawi), rugby and water skiing.

Malaysia last hosted the SEA Games in 2017, and the national contingent emerged as overall champions with 145 gold, 92 silver and 86 bronze medals.

Malaysia had previously also hosted the Games in 1965, 1971, 1977, 1989 and 2001.

The 2027 SEA Games will bring the curtain down on September 29. — Bernama