Malaysia is set to celebrate its rich sporting heritage and collective spirit with the upcoming “Walk With Al-Sultan Abdullah: The King of Sports”, a wellness-inspired royal engagement led by Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, at the historic Stadium Merdeka on 5 November 2025.
The event, organised by ShekhinahPR, the leading agency in sports public relations and branding, in partnership with Yayasan Al-Sultan Abdullah (YASA), aims to unite Malaysians in a celebration of wellness, community, and national pride.
The symbolic walk will bring together 150 invited guests, largely made up of Malaysia’s sporting legends and veterans who have carried the Jalur Gemilang with pride on the international stage.
For the first time in Malaysia’s sporting history, the event will gather former national athletes from various sports under one roof at Stadium Merdeka, a historic venue that symbolises the beginning of Malaysia’s journey in international sporting competitions.
Among the expected attendees are former national diving queen Datuk Leong Mun Yee, who represented Malaysia in five Olympic Games — Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020; former captain of the national men’s hockey team Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin, who also competed in three Olympic Games — Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000; former national sprinter Shanti Govindasamy, who held the women’s 100-metre national record for 31 years; and former national rugby and Selangor team captain during the 1970s and 1980s, Jagjit Singh.
Also expected to be in attendance are two national football legends, Datuk Santokh Singh and former national team captain Datuk Wira Soh Chin Ann, as well as Malaysian badminton legend Datuk Rashid Sidek, who represented Malaysia in three Olympic Games — Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000 — and won the bronze medal in the men’s singles event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Stadium Merdeka, chosen for its deep historical significance, stands as the perfect venue to host this royal walk. The site of Malaysia’s independence proclamation in 1957, the stadium represents national resilience and pride, making it an ideal setting for a gathering that honours both Malaysia’s sporting icons and its enduring community spirit.
The event’s objectives are to celebrate Malaysia’s sporting heritage by recognising the athletes who have shaped the nation’s story, to encourage healthy living through walking as an inclusive and accessible activity, and to strengthen royal and community bonds through His Majesty’s engagement with the country’s sporting icons.
