Arrifin Ghani named NSC director-general as Jefri Ngadirin becomes Sports Commissioner in KBS swap

Malaysia's Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has swapped two of the country's most senior sports officials, effective Thursday, 15 October 2026. National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Jefri Ngadirin becomes Sports Commissioner. Arrifin Mohd Ghani, who had been Sports Commissioner, moves the other way to lead the NSC. The ministry announced the change in a statement from Putrajaya.

What the ministry said

KBS described the change as part of its work to strengthen governance at the agencies it oversees. It said it was confident that the redeployment would make management more efficient, improve service delivery and support national sports development policy. The ministry thanked both officials for their service and wished them well in their new roles.

The statement gave no other reason for the swap and did not say how long either official would stay in his new post.

Who is Arrifin Mohd Ghani?

Arrifin is a former national hockey player who played for Malaysia from 1989 to 1993. He is also a law graduate. He worked at the NSC for many years, including as head of its international preparations unit, and later served in the Sports Commissioner's Office.

He was appointed Sports Commissioner on 15 August 2025 on a two-year contract, replacing Datuk Suhardi Alias. He was then only the second former national athlete to hold the post. The NSC he now leads is the agency in charge of high-performance programmes for national athletes.

Who is Jefri Ngadirin?

Jefri became the 10th NSC director-general on 4 April 2025, after a management board meeting chaired by then Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed his appointment. He had been the council's deputy director-general (sports development) since January 2024.

His time at the NSC included Malaysia's strong performance at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The contingent won nine gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals. That beat the pre-Games target of six golds and equalled the national record set at Guangzhou 2010.

As Sports Commissioner, Jefri now leads the office that registers and regulates sports bodies in Malaysia.

Why the timing matters

The swap comes at a busy time for Malaysian sport. Malaysia hosts the 2027 SEA Games, and organisers are still finalising the list of sports. The Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya start on 18 October. Planning for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics is also under way.

The NSC is closely involved in all of this, from athlete preparation to performance targets. A new leader will need to keep those programmes running without disruption. The Sports Commissioner's Office, meanwhile, deals with governance issues at national associations. Having led that office until this week, Arrifin brings knowledge of both agencies to the NSC.

Key takeaways

• Arrifin Mohd Ghani is the new NSC director-general, and Jefri Ngadirin becomes Sports Commissioner, both from 15 October 2026.
• KBS said the swap is meant to strengthen governance and make management more efficient.
• Arrifin, a former national hockey player, had been Sports Commissioner since August 2025.
• Jefri had led the NSC since April 2025, including at the Asian Games, where Malaysia won nine golds.

FAQ

Who is the new National Sports Council director-general? Arrifin Mohd Ghani, the former Sports Commissioner and ex-national hockey player, took over on 15 October 2026.

What is Jefri Ngadirin's new role? He is now Sports Commissioner, in charge of the office that registers and regulates sports bodies in Malaysia.

Why did the ministry swap the two officials? KBS said the move is part of its efforts to strengthen governance and improve efficiency and service delivery at the agencies it oversees.

Sources: Bernama, Scoop, Malay Mail, Twentytwo13