Malaysia will send its biggest-ever contingent to the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, with 1,688 representatives — including 1,166 athletes — as the country gears up for the biennial regional event scheduled for next month.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Halim told the media that the country will compete in 458 of the 573 events across 50 sports at the 33rd SEA Games, to be held from December 9–20 in Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla.
He said this marks a significant increase from the 641-strong contingent sent to the 2015 Singapore Games.
The medal target is being finalised and will be announced on November 29.
The deputy minister also confirmed that 12 Road to Gold (RTG) programme athletes will compete in badminton, weightlifting and archery in Thailand as part of their international exposure.
For the 2025 ASEAN Para Games, scheduled for January 20–26, 2026, Malaysia will send 238 athletes and 120 officials — also its largest contingent to the event.
Meanwhile the National Sports Council (NSC) announced that Malaysian athletes competing in Songkhla will travel overland via chartered buses due to the short distance from Kuala Lumpur to the northern border.
NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the arrangement covers nine sports, including pencak silat, muay thai, karate, wushu, wrestling, judo and chess.
Athletes will depart in stages, three days before their respective events, and spend a night at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) before continuing the 90-minute journey from the border to Songkhla.
“This method gives athletes a longer rest period. They will also depart three days earlier than usual compared to the typical two-day window,” Jefri said.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who was present at the NSC event, reiterated that Malaysia will use a total medal target approach — rather than specifying gold, silver and bronze targets — based on analysis provided by Nippon Sport Science University, a long-term partner of the NSC and National Sports Institute.
