The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, has praised the government’s RM580 million allocation for the sports sector under Budget 2026, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday.
The allocation marks a major jump from RM230 million in 2025 and RM224 million in 2024, signaling stronger support for both elite and grassroots development.
In his speech, Anwar congratulated world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and women’s doubles silver medalists Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah for their historic achievements at the Paris World Championships, calling them proof that investing in elite sports pays off.
Tengku Zafrul said the increased budget will drive initiatives such as the Road to Gold programme, preparations for the 2027 SEA Games, para-athlete development, and nationwide sports facility upgrades. He also highlighted the RM30 million matching grant for NGOs and sports associations to expand community-level participation.
BAM will continue to strengthen its financial sustainability by engaging more corporate sponsors, with the government’s new tax incentives for sports organisations providing an additional boost.
About the Author
