MALAYSIA must craft and implement a bold, holistic national sports policy to trigger a quantum leap in athletic performance on the international stage, said outgoing Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary-general Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Mohd Najib.
He said the existing sports development ecosystem is no longer sufficient to sustain or elevate Malaysia’s sporting achievements, particularly in producing a new generation of top-tier athletes.
“I believe we must have the courage to introduce a serious and comprehensive sports policy if we truly expect better results than what we’re seeing now. Without that, our sports scene will remain stagnant—or worse, decline.
“Right now, our talent pool is far too limited. There could be many potential athletes out there, but we won’t know because they’ve not been nurtured or given the right platforms to grow,” he said at the OCM secretary-general’s office in Wisma OCM today.
Nazifuddin pointed out that the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and 2027 SEA Games offer ideal opportunities to scout and develop new talent among the country’s youth.
“This is our window to produce new champions. If they shine at the 2027 SEA Games, they could be our fresh faces at future editions of the Asian Games and Olympics,” he said.
Nazifuddin will step down as OCM secretary-general on April 19, having held the post since 2018. He previously served as an OCM vice-president for the 2015–2017 term.
