Selangor sports executive councillor Najwan Halimi said the state government was working on getting the funds from the youth and sports ministry, especially with costs rising due to the Middle East conflict.
“It was normal for organising states like Sarawak, Perlis and Perak to receive funds from the federal government, but Selangor has yet to receive any.
“We are negotiating for some assistance or grant from the youth and sports ministry to help cover organising costs,” he said, according to Sinar Harian.
Najwan added that the state government was prepared to proceed with Sukma, despite a proposal from Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to postpone it until the Middle East crisis was resolved.
Nonetheless, he said a special meeting of the Sukma supreme committee would make the final decision.
Yesterday, Sultan Sharafuddin suggested that the state government postpone hosting this year’s Sukma due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The ruler said hosting the multi-sport event from Aug 15 to 24 would incur considerable costs for the state government.
He also called for the 2026 Piala Sultan Selangor, the annual football match between Selangor and Singapore to be cancelled for the same reason.
Separately, Azmizam Zaman Huri (PH-Pelabuhan Klang) urged Putrajaya to channel extra funds for the state government to hold Sukma, saying the biennial games should be viewed as a national responsibility, instead of relying solely on the host state.
“As such, I propose that the federal government consider providing additional support and funding to help cover the cost of organising the games, and at the same time ease the financial burden on the Selangor government,” he said when debating the Selangor sultan’s opening speech at the state assembly.
Azmizam also said any proposal to postpone or proceed with hosting the games should also consider the development of young athletes, particularly those under 21 who were being groomed to represent the country internationally.
“Sukma serves as the starting point. Through Sukma, young athletes will gain international exposure and help them participate in events such as the Youth Olympic Games, also scheduled for 2026.
“They will then be further trained to represent the country at more competitive events such as the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, which are also taking place this year,” he said.