SPORTS IN MALAYSIA: OLYMPICS, MARTIAL ARTS AND TRADITIONAL SPORTS

SPORTS IN MALAYSIA

Sepak takraw player Azlan Mubin at the Asian Games Doha 2006

A large proportion of the Malaysian population regularly participates in both Western and traditional Malay sports and games, either as players or spectators. Contests involving top-spinning and kite-flying are still popular forms of adult entertainment. Bersilat, the Malay martial art, is enjoying a revival in both rural and urban areas. One of the Malays' most popular native games is sepaktakraw, also known as kickball. It is played with a round rattan ball that must be kept in the air by a group of players standing in a circle, kicking it around or across a net (like volleyball, but with the feet). A point is lost whenever the ball touches the ground. [Source: P. Bala “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life,” Cengage Learning, 2009]

The most popular spectator sport among Malaysians is football, known as soccer in Malaysia. The country has an annual semi-professional football league involving a team from each Malaysian state plus Brunei. This league attracts large crowds to matches in major cities. In addition, there are other football leagues played at regional level and even in the smallest towns. It is a common sight in Malaysia to see youngsters and adults flocking to football pitches, either to play or to watch a match. *

Another popular sport among Malaysians is badminton. In fact, badminton is a national passion in Malaysia, where top Malaysian players are often among the contenders for the World Badminton Championships. Other Western sports, such as volleyball, field hockey, basketball, rugby, squash and cricket, are played not only by Malays, but by all ethnic groups in Malaysia. These sports are played for both casual recreation and in organised competitions. *

Sports teams in Malaysia often include ethnic Chinese, Indian and Malay members playing together. In 1998, Malaysia became the first Asian nation to host the Commonwealth Games. For a time the Tour de Langkawi was third richest bicycle race in terms of prize money after the Tour de France and Giro de Italia. The ATP Tour’s Malaysian Open tennis tournament ran from 2009 to 2015. It was played at Putra stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Among those that played in the event in September 2012 were David Ferrer of Spain and Kei Nishikori of Japan. The event was won that year by Juan Monaco of Argentina.

Famous Malaysian Athletes

Lee Chong Wei in the 2012 Olympics Mens Badminton Singles Semi Final

Lee Chong Wei is one of Malaysia’s most celebrated athletes and a former world number one badminton player. He won multiple Olympic silver medals and several major international titles, including All England championships. His achievements made him a national sports icon and inspired a generation of Malaysian athletes.

Nicol David is one of the most successful squash players in history, holding the world number one ranking for many years and winning multiple world championships. She is widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s greatest sports figures.

Pandelela Rinong is an Olympic medal-winning diver who has represented Malaysia on the international stage. Her achievements made her one of the country’s leading athletes in aquatic sports.

Mokhtar Dahari was a legendary footballer considered one of Asia’s best players during his career. He played a key role in Malaysia’s football history and remains a respected sporting figure.

Cheong Jun Hoong won Malaysia's first ever diving gold medal at the aquatics world championships in Budapest in the women's 10 metre platform event in July 2017, . "My god, I'm a world champion!" said Cheong who came first with 397.50 points. "I hoped for a medal, but I didn't think I could beat the Chinese divers," she said. China's Si Yajie took silver just behind the Malaysian with 396.00 points. "Cheong's win is a little surprise for me, but I congratulate her," she said. Si's compatriot and reigning Olympic champion Ren Qian, who won silver in the event in 2015, took bronze (391.95). Chinese divers have long dominated this event at world championships, winning 22 medals, 16 more than any other country. Kim Kuk Hyang of North Korea, who won gold in 2015, came fourth with 388.55. [Source: AFP, July 20, 2017]

Traditional Sports of Malaysia

Kite-fighting known as wau is enjoyed in northeast Malaysia. A wau is a traditional kite that is especially popular in the state of Kelantan, on the East Coast of Malaysia. Traditionally flown after the rice harvest season, these giant kites are often as big as a man - measuring about 3.5 metres from head to tail. It is called wau because its shape is similar to the Arabic letter that is pronounced as 'wow'. With vibrant colours and patterns based on local floral and fauna, these kites are truly splendid sights.

Sepak manggis is a unique outdoor game played by the Bajau and Iranun men of Sabah. Forming a circle and facing each other, players aim to strike the bunga manggis floral carrier that dangles from a 10-metre high pole. The winner will be rewarded with money, gifts or edibles, which are in the carrier.

Silat

Silat is a Malay martial art, also regarded as an international sport and traditional dance form. Existing in the Malay Archipelago for centuries, it has mesmerising fluid movements that are used to dazzle opponents. It is believed that practising silat will increase one's spiritual strength in accordance with Islamic tenets. Accompanied by drums and gongs, this ancient art is popularly performed at Malay weddings and cultural festivals. [Source: Malaysian Government Tourism]

“Silat” is a style of ancient dance of self defense in which people try to throw each other while engaging in tai-chi-like movements. It is often accompanied to music to “aderams” (long drums), and “serunai” (an oboe-like instrument). The first person to throw the other to the ground wins.

Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen of the Finnish Theatre Academy wrote: “A genre of martial arts which is usually called pentjak silat has been practised all over the Malay world and the Indonesian archipelago. Its history is believed to be over one thousand years old. Its roots may lead to Sumatra, although it also clearly reflects Indian and Chinese influences. It includes forms in which various weapons are used, but it is often practised with bare hands, without weapons. [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen,Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki |~|]

Its technique is characterised by an extreme open-leg position, which makes it possible to lower oneself and to move the weight of the body from side to side. The silat technique aims at extreme elasticity of the body and the limbs, especially the hands and fingers. Silat may also be performed as a form of dance, and in recent decades several dancers and choreographers have used it as material for their contemporary creations.

Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw, also known as sepak raga, it is a traditional ball game in which a ball, made by weaving strips of buluh or bamboo, is passed about using any part of the body except the lower arms and hands. There are two main types of sepak takraw: bulatan (circle) and jaring (net). Sepak raga bulatan is the original form in which players form a circle and try to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible. Sepak takraw jaring is the modern version in which the ball is passed across a court over a high net.

Sepak Takraw is an interesting sport that you see played all over Southeast Asia. Essentially it is volleyball played without using your hands and arms. It is very exciting to watch a good player leap high into the air, flip around and spike the ball with his foot at 60 miles per hour and then fall on his head and shoulders without hurting himself.

Sepak Takraw is played with a special rattan bag in a badminton court. It is known by different names in different countries: sipak in the Philippines, takraw in Thailand and sepak raga in Malaysia. Sepak Takraw was coined in 1965 at the Southeast Asia Games by combining the Malay word for kick (“speak”) and the Thai word for ball surprisingly “ takraw”). Malaysia has lobbied to get sepak takraw accepted as an Olympic sport

The origin of Sepak Takraw is not known. Malays claim it was invented in Malaysia while Thais claim it was invented in Thailand. The game was reportedly played in royals courts in feudal Malaysia an is associated with the great Malayan hero Hang Tuah. In this version of game participants gathered in a circle and tried to keep the ball from hitting the ground. During the British colonization period, it was played mainly in villages as a s lunchtime pastime by working boys.

Competition sepak takraw is played with three players on a team and has rules similar to volleyball and badminton. Play begins with a served (kicked) and each side is allowed three hits (the same as volleyball) before it is delivered over the net to the other team. The scoring is like badminton. The first team to 15 wins. In the street version of takraw people stand in a circle and kick the ball around and try not to let it touch the ground. Sometimes points are scored for their fanciest tricks.

Three Malaysian sepak takraw were sent home form the Asian Games in 2002 after they tested positive for morphine, a drug that can bring the death penalty in Malaysia. One newspaper headline called then the “Nation’s Disgrace,.”

Top Spinning in Malaysia

Top spinning is a competitive sport in northeast Malaysia known gasing A gasing is a giant spinning top that weighs approximately 5kg or 10lbs and may be as large as a dinner plate. Traditionally played before the rice harvest season, this game requires strength, co-ordination and skill. The top is set spinning by unfurling a rope that has been wound around it. Then it is scooped off the ground, whilst still spinning, using a wooden bat with a centre slit and transferred onto a low post with a metal receptacle. If expertly hurled, it can spin for up to 2 hours.

Top Spinning is a sport taken very seriously in Kelantan in the on the northeast coast of Malaysia. In Kota Bahru demonstrations are shown in back of the Cultural Center. The frisbee size tops are very heavy, weighing about five kilograms, and a rope is wrapped around the top of them. With a wind-up like a baseball pitcher a man throws the top onto a platform of clay. The top is then quickly scooped up and placed spinning on a metal platform.

A winner is determined by the top that spins the longest. The longest I saw when I witnessed the demonstration was about 20 minutes. Tourists are allowed to try spinning the top. I tried it and missed the clay platform completely and almost hit some poor German woman. They wouldn't let me try it again.

Malaysia in the Olympics

Malaysia first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when Malaysia participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Malaysia has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games. The National Olympic Committee for Malaya was created in 1953 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1954. This subsequently became the National Olympic Committee for Malaysia. [Source: Wikipedia]

The Federation of Malaya (now the states comprising West Malaysia) competed as Malaya (MAL) in the 1956 and 1960 Games. The present day state of Sabah sent an independent team to the 1956 Games as North Borneo, and Singapore also competed at the Olympics from 1948 to 1960. After these British colonies formed an independent Malaysia in 1963, the nation competed under that name for the first time at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Singapore would subsequently regain independence from Malaysia in 1965 and compete once again as Singapore from 1968 onwards.

Malaysian athletes have won a total of 16 Olympic medals, 12 in badminton, 2 in diving and 2 in cycling. The first Malaysian Olympians to win Olympic medals were two of the Sidek brothers, Jalani Sidek and Razif Sidek back in the 1992 Summer Olympics. Malaysia has won nine silver and eight bronze medals, with the majority coming from badminton. No Malaysian athlete has ever won a gold medal, making Malaysia the country that has won the most Olympic medals without earning gold.

Under its Sports Victory Prize Scheme Incentive, Malaysia will award 1 million Malaysian Ringgit (approximately $239,000) to athletes who win gold. The incentive was designed to "express appreciation to current athletes for their outstanding achievements in international games and tournaments, and for making the country famous". This is a significant amount, given that Malaysia's average annual income is just RM70,476 (US$16,818), according to the country's Department of Statistics. [Source: Huileng Tan, Business Insider, February 15, 2022]

Malaysia has never won a medal in the Winter Games. The country sent two alpine skiers to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022: Aruwin Salehhuddin and Jeffrey Webb. Salehhuddin has completed her competitions and failed to win a medal, while Webb is set to compete on Wednesday.

Among Malaysia's Olympic medalists are: (Medal, Name, Games, Sport, Event): 1) Bronze, Razif Sidek & Jalani Sidek, Spain 1992 Barcelona, Badminton, Men's doubles; 2) Silver, Cheah Soon Kit & Yap Kim Hock, United States 1996 Atlanta, Badminton, Men's doubles; 3) Bronze, Rashid Sidek, United States 1996 Atlanta, Badminton, Men's singles; 4) Silver, Lee Chong Wei, China 2008 Beijing, Badminton, Men's singles; 5) Silver, Lee Chong Wei, United Kingdom 2012 London, Badminton, Men's singles; 6) Bronze, Pandelela Rinong Pamg, United Kingdom 2012 London, Diving, Women's 10 metre platform.

Malaysian Badminton

Malaysians are good in badminton. They often dominate badminton tournaments. Their biggest competition comes from Indonesia, China and South Korea. Malaysian tennis player Lee Chong Wei won the Japan Open badminton tournment in 2007, 2011 and 2012. See Olympics Above.

Badminton is Malaysia’s most successful Olympic sport, accounting for 12 of the country’s 16 Olympic medals. Across all sports, Although the country has yet to secure an Olympic gold medal, it has consistently produced elite players. Much of this success is associated with figures such as Lee Chong Wei, who won three Olympic silver medals, and leading men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

Malaysia’s first Olympic badminton medal was won at the 1992 Barcelona Games, when brothers Razif Sidek and Jalani Sidek secured bronze in men’s doubles. The country’s strongest overall Olympic performance in badminton came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Malaysian players won three silver medals in men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles. In more recent Games, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik won bronze medals at both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, maintaining Malaysia’s presence on the podium.

Other notable Olympic contributors include Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock, who won silver in 1996; Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, silver medallists in 2016; and mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying, who also won silver in 2016. Lee Chong Wei additionally held the world number one ranking for 349 weeks, underlining his dominance in the sport.

Beyond the Olympics, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik achieved a historic milestone by winning the BWF World Championships 2022, becoming the first Malaysians to claim a world title in badminton. Overall, Malaysia remains one of only four nations to have won more than 10 Olympic medals in badminton, reflecting its long-standing strength in the sport.

Two Malaysian Badminton Players Receive Career-Ending Bans for Match-Fixing:

In May 2018, two Malaysian badminton players, Tan Chun Seang and Zulfadli Zulkiffli, received long-term bans after being found guilty of match-fixing.An independent panel appointed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) determined that both players had engaged in corruption-related offences across multiple tournaments over several years, beginning in 2013. Tan was banned for 15 years and Zulkiffli for 20 years. The sanctions also prohibit them from participating in any capacity in the sport, including administrative, coaching, officiating, and development roles. [Source: BBC, May 2, 2018]

The panel concluded that the players breached BWF regulations concerning betting, wagering, and irregular match results. Tan was found to have committed 26 violations, while Zulkiffli committed 31 violations between 2013 and 2016, including manipulating the outcomes of four matches. Both players were also fined, with Tan ordered to pay $15,000 and Zulkiffli $25,000. The investigation began after a whistleblower reported that Zulkiffli had approached him during a tournament in Brazil in 2016. Zulkiffli, a former world junior champion who reached a career-high ranking of 30 in January 2017, had earlier won the 2011 World Junior Championships, defeating Viktor Axelsen in the final.

The bans were backdated to 12 January 2018, when both players were provisionally suspended. The case marked the first instance of its kind for both badminton and the BWF. It followed other controversies in Malaysian badminton, including allegations by Danish players that a Malaysian individual had attempted to recruit them to fix matches, and an eight-month doping suspension in 2015 for former world number one Lee Chong Wei.

Malaysian Squash

As of 2006, Nicol David, then 22, won six professional titles in squash and the World Games gold medal in Duisburg in July. At that time she was ranked No. 1 in the world. The tournament victories include her completion of all the titles at the prestigious British Open squash championships.

The Star reported: “There have been stumbles along the way ' when she lost in the Asian Games final to Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu in 2002 ' she took a sabbatical, but returned with a vengeance in 2003. She was ranked # 53 then, but by the end of the year, she was world # 13 and broke into the top 10 by January, 2004, climbing up to # 3 by May this year, # 1 was a mere matter of destiny, it would seem, but even now she's not resting on her laurels.'There is still so much more for me to learn and I will need to train harder to face up to the challenges next year. I will take one step at a time and plan carefully,' said Nicol. [Source: The Star, January 2006]

Since 2003, she has been training in Amsterdam under Liz Irving, who is full of praise for Nicol's high level of discipline. 'She is a delight to work with. She is a very dedicated player. Nicol has improved a lot mentally as well as tactically. 'But there is still a lot to work on,' added Irving. In a country starved of sports heroes, Nicol has already made her mark ' on the world stage, no less. She has already been tagged as a role model for Malaysian youth. She has already galvanized a national movement of sorts, with more young Malaysians trading in their badminton racquets for squash. And speaking of racquets, Nicol has held on to that wooden, makeshift racquet all these years ' proof that the mark.

Malaysian Cycling

Mohd Azizulhasni B. Awang (born 5 January 1988) is a Malaysian professional track cyclist. Azizulhasni, was the winner of gold medals in the keirin and 200m sprint events at the Asian Cycling Championships in April 2008. He was a flag bearer for Malaysian team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He was the highest placed Asian cyclist at the Olympics, finishing eighth in the keirin. He is among 2012 London Olympics gold medal prospects. In 2009, Azizul became the overall winner of the Keirin event in the 2008–2009 World Cup after obtaining two gold medals. Azizul became the first Malaysian to win a medal at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, when he won silver in the men's sprint event at the 2009 World Championships in Pruszków, Poland. He is referred to as Azizul the pocket rocket due to his small stature. Contents

Azizul began his career after watching his brother racing. He was coached by the Dungun Cycling Team before entering the Sport School. He was thankful to his late father for giving him Among Azizul's greatest achievement is winning the silver medal at the 2009 World Championships in the sprint category and the silver medal at the 2010 World Championships in the keirin category. In February 2011, Azizul was involved in a crash during the final of the keirin event in the World Cup leg in Manchester where he suffered serious injury when a 20cm wooden splinter pierced through his leg.

Malays Learning Chinese Martial Arts

Wushu is a Chinese martial arts that is promoted as form of exercise, a sport that is beautiful and fun to watch and a method of self-defense. Huang Yao Ming, a Chinese martial arts association founder, told the Sin Chew Daily that the association was founded in 2006 and is currently having about 1000 of students of which 30 percent are non-Chinese. Huang said that their coaches also teach Chinese martial arts in over 60 schools nationwide. Since they teach in English, many non-Chinese students have joined them. [Source: Sin Chew Daily, October 16, 2011]

The Sin Chew Daily reported: Malay “Secondary school student Ahmad Bokali, 14, said that he likes watching kungfu movies since he was young and he only started to join Chinese martial arts classes when he started studying in secondary school.At that time, there was a confrontation between some Malay and Chinese students and therefore, some Malay students laughed at him for joining Chinese martial arts classes. "They asked me why I wanted to learn Chinese martial arts and they laughed at us when they saw us practising. In fact, I was not enraged as I know they did not represent the whole community. My parents and friends understood it and were very supportive of me," he said.

He said that they did not bully him but just made some provocative acts. He kept his father's words in mind that learning martial arts was meant for self-protection and it should not be turned into violence to make troubles, and thus he just ignored them. "I like Chinese martial arts not only because it is a good exercise, but also because it allows me to make more Chinese friends and understand Chinese culture better. In fact, many people nowadays agree that it is an exercise good for health and a kind of disciplinary training. More importantly, I can protect myself, as well as people around me," Ahmad said.Under the guidance of his coach, Ahmad has reached the intermediate level in two years time. He even won two gold medals in a national inter-school competition.

Fourteen-year-old Naomi, who was of Chinese-English ancestry, started to learn Chinese martial arts since she was in Year 3 of primary school. She has reached the red belt level in five years time. Naomi, who looked gentle and delicate, was actually an active athlete since she was very young. In addition to Chinese martial arts, she was also good at skating, athletics, table tennis and badminton. "Basic skills are very important and thus, it is crucial to master them," she said.

She said that compared to her schoolmates, she did not get mentally tired as easily as them and her immune system was good. "Most importantly, I know how to take care and protect myself after learning many self-defense tactics. I believe that I can handle it if I meet a robber. It is also why I like to share with others. I hope that other girls are able to protect themselves," she said.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings; 1993; New York Times; Washington Post; Los Angeles Times; Smithsonian magazine; Encyclopedia.com; National Geographic; Live Science; Malaysia Tourism websites; Malaysia government websites; UNESCO; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Natural History magazine; Times of London; Library of Congress; The Conversation; The New Yorker; Time; BBC; CNN; Reuters; Associated Press; AFP; Lonely Planet Guides; Google AI; Wikipedia; The Guardian and various websites; books and other publications.

Last updated May 2026