KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 – The twice postponed Malaysia Games (Sukma) Johor 2020 will be held next year confirmed Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu on Monday.
However, in the same breath the minister left a big question mark on the venue for the games that have been postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is reliably learnt that Johor has opted out as the Sukma XX host for various reasons although it has all the facilities in place for the Games dubbed as Malaysia’s “Mini-Olympics”. Some existing infrastructure were upgraded and new ones were also built.
There is a strong possibility that the National Sports Council (NSC) will host the coming Games while Johor has applied to be the host in 2024 with Kelantan the likely venue for the 2026 edition.
The Sukma Supreme Council is expected to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to decide the matter.
Sukma were held biennially to tap young budding talent in various sports and groom them for international meets like the SEA Games, the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and even the Olympics.
Sukma Johor 2020 were rescheduled to be held in either March or April next year – on a much smaller scale after it was postponed from last year and again this year. It is learnt that MSN will reduce the Games to a smaller scale.
Malaysia’s ”Mini-Olympics” are only for those aged 23 years and below but due to the pandemic, some leeway is expected to be given to those who have trained so hard.
The Games are often the launching pad for athletes to break into the national teams.
The biennial games were first held in 1986. Johor was due to host the Sukma for the second time after first hosting it in 1992.
Apart from Johor Bahru, which will be the main venue for the games, the venues are Muar and Kota Tinggi.
It is also learnt, Johor has also downsized its Sukma Secretariat with some of the key personnel already transferred out to other departments while those hired on contract basis will be released soon at the end of the year.
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