Kuala lumpur: A deep love for the country and the desire to see the Jalur Gemilang continue to fly on the international stage are among the driving forces behind Datuk Ayub Rahmat's efforts to transform the landscape of Malaysian weightlifting. The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (PABM) president said an athlete's success should not be measured solely by the medals they win, but also by the honour and image of the country that they carry and must uphold every time they compete.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ayub emphasized the importance of athletes competing cleanly and ensuring that their victories are a true source of pride for Malaysia. In conjunction with the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations (HKHM), he highlighted PABM's comprehensive approach to athlete development, including welfare, guidance, nutrition, and medication, to ensure they remain free from doping issues.
Ayub noted that the use of prohibited substances had previously plagued the sport and affected the participation of national athletes, partly due to a lack of awareness about nutrition and medication. Since joining the PABM committee as deputy president in 2013 and becoming president in 2018, he has prioritized efforts to combat doping, amending the association's constitution to focus on producing healthy athletes.
PABM has also strengthened initiatives at the grassroots level, requiring athletes and coaches to undergo screening tests and collaborating with the Malaysia Anti-Doping Agency (ADAMAS) and the National Sports Council (NSC). These sustained efforts resulted in a clean doping record at the 2024 Sarawak SUKMA, followed by the national squad winning three silver and two bronze medals at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
The success continued at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where the national weightlifting squad won seven medals, including five gold, one silver, and one bronze, and received the Best Men's Team Award through the 2026 Trafalgar Trophy from the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation. Ayub expressed satisfaction in achieving PABM's goal of shaping athletes who understand their responsibility in carrying Malaysia's name.
According to the former Johor executive councillor for Health and Environment, PABM now aims to expand weightlifting talent development to schools through cooperation with the Education Ministry (MOE) and seeks support from private and corporate sectors to produce more young talents. He emphasized the need for nationwide talent identification, aiming to strengthen Malaysia's position in Asia and pursue medals at the Asian Games.
Recalling his involvement in the sport, Ayub shared that his journey began in 2006 when then Johor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman entrusted him with overseeing the Johor Bodybuilding and Weightlifting Association. What started as a challenging responsibility evolved into a mission to see national athletes succeed and the Jalur Gemilang fly on the world stage.