677 Malaysian Athletes to Take Part in 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia This May

A total of 677 Malaysian athletes will participate in this year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which will be held from May 5-17.

This was declared by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) yesterday, March 13, during the announcement ceremony of the Malaysian contingent to the SEA Games. Aside from the athletes, 237 officials will also join the contingent.

Of the 677 athletes, 390 are classified under Category A ("costs fully borne"), while 287 are under Category B ("costs borne by association and refunded for medical winners"), according to a report by national news agency Bernama on the same day. Athletics is the sport with the biggest group, with 65 athletes taking part.

The contingent this year is Malaysia's third largest abroad with regard to the total number of athletes. The Malaysian contingent in the 2007 Korat SEA Games comprised 820 athletes while those sent to the 2019 Philippines SEA Games included 772 athletes. The report added that the biggest Malaysian contingent in the SEA Games was in 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, with 845 athletes.

OCM President Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakari said during the ceremony that the increased number of athletes this year will give younger athletes exposure before the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand and the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia.

"We hope the approval given and selection are not wasted as the SEA Games serves as an introduction to international competitions and a steppingstone to the Asian Games and Olympics," he was quoted as saying. "Make the most of this opportunity."