KUALA LUMPUR – The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) would not have entrusted Malaysia with hosting the Games’ 23rd edition if they did not believe the country was fully capable, said CGF honorary life president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar.
His remarks come in response to reports saying that the CGF has extended the opportunity to host the 2026 Games to Malaysia, following Victoria, Australia’s withdrawal from hosting duties last year, with RM602 million in aid.
Speaking to Scoop, Tunku Imran expressed confidence in Malaysia’s ability to execute this quadrennial multi-sport event, highlighting the imperative of unified commitment from the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), national associations, volunteers and all government departments including immigration, health and transport.
“The CGF is eager to lend its support to Malaysia, recognising our capability to host such an event.
“Their commitment is evident by the substantial aid offered, amounting to £100 million (RM602 million),” Tunku Imran, who is also an International Olympic Committee honorary member, said when contacted.
Moreover, Tunku Imran emphasised the potential disappointment within the CGF community should Malaysia decline the offer, underscoring the significant economic benefits such an event would bring to the country.
Rejecting the offer would not only disappoint the CGF but would also be a missed opportunity for Malaysia to harness substantial economic benefits, including increased tourism, fully occupied hotels and a notable boost to various sectors of the economy.
“They will be very disappointed (if we reject the offer to host) because they would probably have to cancel the 2026 Games and wait till the next edition in 2030.
“Very few countries can deliver and the CGF knows that Malaysia is capable.
“In fact, with the £100 million, I think we can even do it with a profit,” said the former OCM president.
Tunku Imran’s sentiments were echoed by OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, who stressed the honour associated with hosting such a prestigious international event.
He underscored the necessity for thorough consideration from relevant government ministries to ensure the event’s feasibility and sustainability.
Should Malaysia choose to host the Games, Norza emphasised a pragmatic approach, with the CGF mooting for a sustainable model, such as a smaller-scale event with fewer sports and facilities, to manage costs effectively.
“When a country places their bid to host, they have to incur costs to do the bidding. After they successfully get the bidding, normally you pay £22.5 million for hosting fees to CGF on top of paying £5.6 million for Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) development expenses.
“In our case, the total of £28.1 million pounds will be waived, or RM180 million waived for Malaysia.
“We are an international community. When people approach us, as CGA Malaysia is affiliated with the CGF, we definitely feel honoured,” he told Scoop.
Furthermore, he highlighted Malaysia’s advantage in leveraging existing infrastructure, such as hotels, minimising the need for extensive construction projects and reducing financial burdens.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, because we don’t need to build new infrastructure and we are different from the rest because we have the model from the 2017 SEA Games.
“We now have world-class facilities ready following the infrastructure that was built for the 1998 Commonwealth Games,” he added.
Ultimately, Norza emphasised the importance of understanding both the tangible and intangible benefits to the nation, positioning Malaysia prominently on the global sporting stage.
In light of these considerations, Malaysia’s potential bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games awaits a decision from the cabinet, pending a comprehensive review of the organisational aspects involved. – March 14, 2024