Budget 2027: Anwar allocates RM730 million for sport, including RM240 million for 2027 SEA Games hosting
Budget 2027 gives sport RM730 million, including RM460m for development, RM240m for the SEA Games and RM30m in matching grants. School sport gets another RM27m.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim allocated RM730 million to sport when he tabled Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday (Oct 9). The largest single item is RM240 million to prepare Malaysia to host next year's SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. When a separate RM27 million for school sport is added, total sports-related spending comes to RM757 million.
The breakdown
These are the sport items reported from the Budget speech:
- RM460 million for national sports development. This covers high-performance programmes, the Road to Gold initiative, programmes for para and deaf athletes, and maintenance of sports facilities nationwide.
- RM240 million for the 2027 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. Malaysia hosts both events next year.
- RM30 million for a Sports Matching Grant. This encourages sports bodies, clubs and non-governmental organisations to run high-performance events.
- RM27 million for school sports activities. This is a 50 per cent increase, and the government says it will reach more than 4.6 million pupils in about 10,000 schools.
Why different totals have been reported
Different outlets have reported different headline totals, but they use the same figures. The two biggest items, RM460 million and RM240 million, add up to RM700 million, which is the figure some reports led with. Adding the RM30 million matching grant gives RM730 million, the total reported by theSun, RTM and Malaysia Gazette. Adding the RM27 million for school sport gives RM757 million, the figure used by the New Straits Times and in a separate RTM report. All three totals are correct. They differ only in which items are counted.
For comparison, Budget 2026, tabled in October 2025, set aside more than RM580 million for sports development.
SEA Games organisers welcome the funding
Malaysia will host the 2027 SEA Games from Sept 18 to 29 in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Johor and Penang. The ASEAN Para Games will follow in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 17 to 23.
Datuk Abdul Rashid Yaakub, chief executive officer of the Malaysia SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC), told Bernama the RM240 million shows the government's commitment to sport. He said Anwar's focus on unity matched the Games' theme, "Raikan Perpaduan" (Celebrating Unity). In his speech, Anwar said the Games should be used to raise the country's profile and bring people together.
Sport opened the Budget speech
Anwar started the Budget speech by talking about sport. He praised the Malaysian contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which ended on Oct 4 with nine gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals. He said athletes from different ethnic backgrounds had all contributed to the medal tally.
Budget 2027 as a whole totals about RM459.8 billion. The Youth and Sports Ministry, led by Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari, had said before the Budget that grassroots development and athlete welfare were its priorities.
Key takeaways
- Budget 2027 gives sport RM730 million: RM460m for development, RM240m for the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games, and RM30m for a Sports Matching Grant.
- A further RM27 million for school sport, up 50 per cent, brings the total to RM757 million.
- Reported totals of RM700m, RM730m and RM757m come from the same figures and differ only in which items are included.
- The 2027 SEA Games will run from Sept 18 to 29 across Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Johor and Penang.
FAQ
How much did Budget 2027 allocate for sport? RM730 million across development, SEA Games hosting and the matching grant. Including the RM27 million for school sport, the total is RM757 million.
What does the RM460 million cover? High-performance programmes, the Road to Gold initiative, para and deaf sports programmes, and maintenance of sports facilities nationwide.
When and where are the 2027 SEA Games? From Sept 18 to 29, 2027, in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Johor and Penang. The ASEAN Para Games follow in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 17 to 23.
Sources: theSun, Bernama, RTM, New Straits Times, The Vibes, Malay Mail, Free Malaysia Today