KULAI, Aug 7 — The 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma XX) committee will finalise and confirm the list of sporting events, especially concerning weightlifting, by next month.
National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said the committee has discussed the matter with the Malaysian Weightlifting Association (PABM).
“So far, discussions between both parties are positive and the committee has put in place several rules that PABM must follow.
“Insyallah (God willing), the committee will reveal the sporting events for the Sukma 2020, which would be hosted in Johor, by September this year,” said Ahmad Shapawi.
He said this after the official launch of the mascot and logo for the 20th Malaysia Games held at the Impiana Hotel in Senai here today.
Earlier, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal officially launched the event’s mascot and logo. He was accompanied by Johor Youth, Sports, Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali and other state exco members.
It was recently reported that the status of weightlifting for next year’s Sukma programme was still uncertain.
The weightlifting sport has been marred with local doping issues in the past, with organisers seeking assurance of fair play before including it as one of the 30 sports for Sukma, starting July 11 next year.
Earlier, Dr Sahruddin said he hoped the event will involve the entire country and help inculcate a sporting mindset in the younger generation.
“With the present and newly built state-of-the-art infrastructure available, Johor will definitely become a sporting powerhouse in the near future, be it for hosting world-class events or simply developing future talents for the country,” said Dr Sahruddin.
Johor will be hosting the biennial Sukma event for only the second time in its history after its fourth edition in 1992.
A total of 38 fully equipped sporting venues around Johor will be utilised for the 30 sports which will be contested by 14 states, including Brunei, involving 11,000 athletes.
