KUALA LUMPUR — National athletes must learn to embrace pressure and set their own medal targets, even if the government opts for a more relaxed approach, says sports analyst Christopher Raj.
His remarks follow Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s recent statement in the Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session that Malaysia will continue using the colourless medal tally as its benchmark for the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand this December rather than focusing on gold medal targets.
The approach, first implemented at the Hangzhou Asian Games, aims to ease “excessive pressure” on athletes.
Malaysia adopted this system after failing to meet its 40-gold target at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia. At the Asian Games, the national contingent aimed for 27 medals and exceeded expectations, securing 32 in total—six gold, eight silver, and 18 bronze.
Speaking to Scoop, Christopher acknowledged the benefits of reducing external pressure, particularly for young athletes transitioning from the Sarawak Sukma to international competition.
However, he stressed that athletes must take personal responsibility for setting their own performance goals.
“I agree with the minister’s decision, especially since many SEA Games athletes are young talents preparing for Malaysia’s SEA Games hosting in 2027. They must understand what to expect and learn from the experience.
“But internationally, it’s common for athletes—not governments—to set their own goals. They decide whether to aim for gold, silver, or bronze based on their capabilities rather than working toward targets imposed by officials.
“Instead of relying on the government, athletes should take ownership of their aspirations. If they believe they can win, they should go for it. We shouldn’t blame the ministry or the National Sports Council (NSC) for not setting medal targets.
“At the end of the day, when an athlete wins, the glory is theirs—not the government’s,” Christopher said.
Meanwhile, fellow sports analyst Mohd Sadek Mustafa criticised the government’s shift to a colourless medal target, calling it a regressive step that could make national athletes complacent.
He warned that treating the SEA Games as a low-pressure event could weaken Malaysia’s competitive edge.
“I believe our performance will continue to decline under this system. Global sports are extremely competitive. It would be bizarre if we can’t even apply the most basic form of pressure—clear targets.
“The government has invested heavily in these athletes, from training to competition exposure and sports science support. If they’re sent to compete without specific targets, they might as well be tourists.
“In individual sports, rankings and sponsorships depend on performance targets. But when representing the country, suddenly, clear goals don’t matter?
“This approach risks pampering our athletes, making them see the SEA Games as an irrelevant competition,” said Sadek, a senior sports science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara.
Traditionally, Malaysia has always set specific gold medal targets for major events. The only exception before Hangzhou was the 2015 SEA Games, when then-youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin introduced a target based on a percentage of events contested (56%).
At the last SEA Games, Malaysia finished seventh out of 11 countries with 175 medals—34 gold, 45 silver, and 96 bronze. — February 10, 2025