A sporting nation refers to a country where sports are deeply rooted in culture and national identity. By being a sporting nation, it is sometimes assumed that sports has this mythical and intrinsic ability to unite the country, regardless of social and economic backgrounds. Although the unity that emerges from sporting success remains superficial compared to actual institutional reforms or good governance, sports still play a massive role in shaping our culture. In this deep dive on Malaysian sporting culture, let’s review our achievements and pitfalls, what’s holding us back, and what we can do to ensure the dreams we dream about are not broken.
Did you know that Malaysia has the most Summer Olympic medals (8 Silvers and 7 Bronze) without a single gold of any country? Although the all-important gold still remains elusive, the more glaring issue is how we compare against our regional peers. Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore have all won gold medals before Malaysia. This may feel like a pointless comparison exercise because sporting success — in the grand scheme of things — is arbitrary, but it is still something worth pondering upon. Nevertheless, we have been quite successful in the Summer Paralympics with 8 Gold, 6 Silver, and 7 Bronze Medals and it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge that achievement. It would also be disingenuous not to mention how close Malaysia has been to winning gold on a few occasions. For example, At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Malaysia’s men’s doubles badminton pair, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong had two match points in the finals which were not converted because of two loose serves. They were unlucky but this just highlights the razor-thin margins of being immortalised forever and becoming what ifs? Now, Malaysia’s journey for the elusive gold medal continues to 2028 where our athletes will try to create history in Los Angeles, USA.
Next, let’s highlight the triumphs and tribulations of badminton and football in Malaysia, arguably our two most popular sports. Starting with badminton, though Lee Chong Wei’s consistent and sustainable success is sorely missed, the current badminton era has undoubtedly been great. With two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and two gold medals at the 2022 and 2025 BWF World Championship, the on-court performance remains solid. Plus, with the ever-increasing popularity and attendance at the Malaysia Open every January, public interest in the sport is at an all time high. This contrasts heavily with football. There has been a lot of public attention lately, but for all the wrong reasons. Malaysia, currently ranked 121st in the world, was recently sanctioned by football’s global governing body, FIFA, for allegedly falsifying documents for 7 players to gain Malaysian citizenship and play for our national team, breaking FIFA’s naturalisation rules. Even though the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the final verdict is yet to be given, this has been an embarrassing episode which has left a bitter taste in a lot of Malaysians mouth and raises a lot of questions regarding not only FAM’s transparency and apparent lack of due diligence but also the National Registration Department’s (NRD) negligence in granting citizenships.
Speaking of controversies, other governing bodies such as the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are not faultless either. Though not as consequential as FAM’s issues, the much-derided unveiling of Malaysia’s 2024 Olympic attire still remains in the memories of Malaysians. With its tilting mannequins and tacky-looking gold uniforms, it shows how out of touch and out of sync these bodies are when even the basics of sports marketing and image creation are not taken seriously. Obviously, some would argue these issues are irrelevant, and what matters most is the performance of the athletes, but we should not underestimate the effect of connecting and having fans on our side to give their unequivocal support. Not only that, but sports governing bodies are also frequently used as stepping stones for politicians looking to enhance their image and garner favourability through sporting success. For example, BAM’s current president is also the current Investment, Trade and Industries Minister, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, appointed in March 2025. Though it is still too early to judge his contributions to Malaysian badminton and that he will probably do fine anyway, this accentuates an issue with the number of political appointments helming these associations. With their many tasks and portfolios, their hands are already full hence it is fair to assume that the advancement of the sport will probably not be their main priority.
When talking about Malaysian Sporting Culture, it is reductive to only focus on football, badminton, and the occasional Olympics. Although these sports are the most famous and cherished by Malaysians, this narrow-mindedness skews our perception that sports in Malaysia are flailing and hopeless. Look around, pickleball courts are sprouting left and right, thousands are jogging around KL every Sunday during its wildly-popular car-free mornings, decades-old rivalries are being fought, and new rivalries are being ignited between schools competing in front of exhilarating crowds at the ever-expanding Super Schools Rugby Tournament. Not to forget, futsal and badminton court bookings are still almost always full during weekends. Now, more than ever, Malaysian sports, especially at the grassroots level, have never been in a better place.
Everyone plays a role in ensuring the growth of sporting culture in Malaysia. For starters, we should take it upon ourselves to play sports recreationally not only for the health benefits and enjoyment but also as a means to forge lasting connections with friends, family and the community. Go invite your friends or family to go jogging at KLCC Park and have breakfast with them afterwards. Try inviting your neighbour for a game of badminton in front of your house. These acts may seem small, but they can certainly be meaningful in invoking that sense of passion and connection with sports that is so essential in building a successful sporting nation. Apart from that, we can also support the local sports ecosystem by attending and watching sporting events. Everyone is probably already familiar with the Malaysian Open and the Malaysian Super League (though football attendances have been dwindling in recent years), so it feels important to also showcase other sporting events that need our support. For example, Sepak Takraw League (STL) has been increasing in popularity over the years, attracting the top players across the world and has been pivotal in ending Malaysia’s 34-year drought for a Team Regu Gold Medal at the 2025 SEA Games, beating arch-rivals Thailand. Not only that, Netball Super League (NSL), Malaysia’s premier netball league, has been really successful in promoting women’s participation in sports with its competitive teams attracting players from abroad, amazing broadcasting and just a fun league to watch overall. There are plenty of other leagues, events, and competitions that deserve to be highlighted, but the crux is evidently clear: now is the best time to go out there and participate, be it as a player or supporter. Malaysian sports needs its communities to thrive, and everyone plays a big part in ensuring that continues.
For most Malaysians, our sporting culture has never been only about winning because of our underperformance throughout the years and seemingly low expectations. If we win, it is a miracle, and if we lose, that is normal. The immense weight of funding, pressure, and scrutiny that comes with a winning culture is something that we actively avoid, and that needs to change. Nonetheless, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the role sports have played in ensuring Malaysians are healthy and productive, as well as providing tender moments of shared national pride. It is apparent that Malaysian sporting culture has always been strong, particularly among citizens, but further improvements in funding and governance are needed in order to increase the number of pathways and create sustainable success in the long term. The enthusiasm that Malaysians have for sports needs to be reciprocated by those above. All in all, Malaysia has immense untapped potential in sports and everyone plays a role in unearthing it. Whenever or wherever there is sport, there is always hope that a dream can be achieved.
