KUALA LUMPUR: On July 21, the New York University (NYU) School of Professional Studies and Indonesia’s Youth and Sports Ministry announced a strategic partnership to strengthen the Republic’s sports ecosystem across Southeast Asia.
The move raises an obvious question: Why is Malaysia not forging similar partnerships as it prepares to host the 2027 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games?
Fresh from hosting the Asean Summit last year, the Youth and Sports Ministry should appreciate sport’s value as an instrument of diplomacy, economic growth and regional influence. Yet there is little evidence of a coherent strategy to harness that potential.
During the summit, the ministry’s most visible display of sports diplomacy amounted to little more than a photo opportunity. Officials hosted Fifa president Gianni Infantino alongside Football Association of Malaysia officials, including secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman, who was then serving a suspension over a document fabrication scandal involving seven foreign-born players.
The episode reinforced a familiar criticism of Malaysian sports administration – that optics too often trump governance and meaningful regional engagement.
Beyond routine government-to-government engagements, what meaningful efforts are being made to connect with Southeast Asia’s young, digitally connected population?
Indonesia’s partnership with NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport offers a blueprint. Faculty members and students will work directly with Indonesian officials on sports diplomacy, academic fellowships, co-branded certificate programmes, capstone projects, continuing education, and conferences in New York and Jakarta.
Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir made the economic objective clear, describing sport as a high-growth sector capable of creating jobs, attracting foreign investment and expanding the domestic economy.
Erick understands that sport is more than competition – it is also business, diplomacy and national branding.
In Malaysia, however, serious public discourse on developing the sports industry has largely faded since the Sports Industry Expo in 2022.
Critics may argue that Malaysia is in no position to champion sporting excellence while grappling with governance failures, integrity concerns and a stalled transition into a genuine sporting nation. Football, the country’s most popular sport, continues to be plagued by unpaid wages and the unresolved document fabrication scandal.
Yet Malaysia also possesses an underutilised advantage. Dozens of Malaysians already work across the global sports industry, from international governing bodies and broadcasters to facility management companies.
These professionals are, in effect, ambassadors for Malaysian sport. Providing them with institutional support and strategic backing would significantly strengthen the country’s international sporting profile.
Partnerships with respected international academic and sports institutions would also help restore confidence in Malaysia’s sporting ecosystem. They can strengthen governance, improve accountability and introduce modern management practices to national sports associations.
Malaysia has the infrastructure and experience to stage major multi-sport events, as demonstrated by the 1998 Commonwealth Games and several editions of the SEA Games. What it lacks is a long-term strategy to build a sustainable multi-billion-ringgit sports economy.
The challenge is not simply to sign memoranda of understanding, but to forge partnerships that deliver lasting value to Malaysia’s sports ecosystem while enhancing the country’s standing in the region.
As Malaysia prepares to host the 2027 SEA Games, Putrajaya cannot afford to treat sport as a weekend pastime or a public relations exercise. It must decide whether it wants to lead the regional sports economy or watch others seize the opportunities.
Indonesia has shown what is possible. The question is whether Malaysia is prepared to follow, or continue watching from the sidelines.
