KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA) have pledged to establish more dedicated pickleball venues to reduce reliance on tennis facilities.
This announcement follows a report by Scoop on concerns raised by the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM), which cautioned pickleball stakeholders against using tennis courts and emphasised the need to prioritise tennis development in Malaysia.
LTAM’s concerns were echoed by Mohd Najwan Halimi, the Selangor Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman, who revealed during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly that the state government is considering repurposing underutilised tennis courts for pickleball.
This proposal aligns with Selangor’s RM1 million plan to cultivate 100,000 pickleball players over five years, host the Selangor Pickleball Festival, and prepare the sport for inclusion in Sukma 2026.
MPA president Farrell Choo, speaking to Scoop, urged stakeholders, including sports operators, private entities, and government bodies, to support the establishment of dedicated pickleball facilities to meet the sport’s growing demand.
“We need more dedicated pickleball venues to accommodate the sport’s rapid growth and its specific infrastructure needs.
“A standard pickleball court is 60 by 30 feet, with a recommended side barrier of around four feet high to prevent interference with adjacent courts, making purpose-built facilities essential,” said Choo.
He highlighted the contributions of pioneers in building pickleball venues, citing facilities such as MYY Mall Miri, Gymkhana Club Miri, RB Homestays & Farm Kuching, and KL’s Pickle Social Club as prime examples.
“We acknowledge that more and more pickleball venues are being made available by sports operators, and many dedicated pickleball courts have been built by visionary enterprises and individuals. These include some of the largest dedicated venues in Southeast Asia.
“We hope to do more with additional support in the years to come nationwide,” Farrell added.
Currently, nine state associations — Sarawak, Sabah, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya — are registered with the MPA, with seven others, such as Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu, Melaka, Pahang, and Labuan, awaiting approval.
“Together with state associations, we are fostering grassroots development through pickleball introductions, free trials, workshops, monthly challenges, and local tournaments.
“State governments are also stepping in, introducing pickleball in schools and community centres, and allocating budgets for venue development. These are promising signs,” Farrell said.
Malaysia boasts over 160 pickleball courts, with hotspots in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Ipoh, and Miri. — December 31, 2024