KUALA LUMPUR – Former national silat exponent Al-Jufferi Jamari believes that silat can reach a wider audience in the country with more commercialisation taking place within the sporting landscape.
Considered one of the oldest martial sports in the Nusantara archipelago, silat has since spread out further to be well known across the globe, with a total of 40 countries embracing it.
The sport has also been a major medal contributor for Malaysia in prestigious tournaments like the World Pencak Silat Championships and the SEA Games.
Speaking to Scoop, Al-Jufferi, who has four world championships under his belt, said silat stands out distinctively among the array of martial arts in the country, not being eclipsed by others.
Al-Jufferi is optimistic about silat’s potential to become a leading sport in the years ahead, given increased awareness of the significant benefits it offers to society.
“Silat is a sport that builds our character into a strong and stable person in life, and this sport has always been rooted in our cultures across the Southeast Asian region for centuries.
“The acceptance level and awareness of the sport have always been grounded in our country, and I believe that we can create more awareness for this sport by commercialising it.
“Interesting state tournaments with live coverage can be held across the country so that people, especially from the urban areas, can watch and learn a lot from the sport.
“It’s not like those days; now we have technology, and we need to make use of it. We already have many world-class athletes in the sport, but with more commercialisation, we can have more athletes, and the public will also look up to them as inspiration,” said Al-Jufferi.
He further revealed that he was recently appointed as the head of youth development for silat by the Pahang State Sports Council and hopes to nurture more talent for the sport in the years to come.
“It’s an honour for me to go back and serve the state where I was born, and I’m excited to begin my journey as a coach.
“I will ensure that I train the youth and help them win medals for the country in all the tournaments they compete in,” Al-Jufferi added.
Al-Jufferi retired from silat after defeating Indonesian exponent Iqbal Chandra Pratama with a score of 35-21 to win his fourth World Championship at the Melaka International Trade Center (MITC) Hall in 2022. – March 23, 2024