KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Youth and Sports in Malaysia is actively seeking new talents and sporting events to bolster the nation’s prospects of securing its first Olympic gold medal. This initiative comes in response to the country’s participation in major sporting events not yielding the anticipated results.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim highlighted that squash, set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, will be one of the key sports Malaysia will concentrate on. “We are focusing on this because we know that the country’s squash players are among the best in the world, with the hope that sports like this can bring home the first gold,” he stated during the Supply Bill 2025 session for his ministry in Dewan Negara.

In response to Senator Manolan Mohamad’s suggestion, Adli emphasized the importance of exploring new sports with less international competition at the Olympics to gain an edge. The International Olympic Committee recently approved s
quash, along with cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and baseball-softball, for inclusion in the 2028 Games.

Adli also noted that Malaysia is developing other new sports such as skateboarding to increase its Olympic contingents. The 2028 Olympics will feature two gold medals in squash for the men’s and women’s singles events.

In a related development, National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang addressed educational issues, affirming that the Ministry of National Unity aligns with the Ministry of Education’s strict stance against bullying and racial issues. The ministry is committed to ensuring transparency and handling all cases openly.

Aaron detailed efforts to foster unity among students, including the Kembara Perpaduan Flagship and the establishment of the Rukun Negara Club, which promotes understanding and appreciation of national unity values. To date, there are 6,489 Rukun Negara Clubs across Malaysia, with activities aimed at inculcating the principles of Rukun Negara in students.