Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), has placed his hopes on Malaysia to restore the good reputation of the SEA Games, as the country is set to host the event after Thailand in 2027.
Chamroeun shared his confidence following assurances from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who pledged that Malaysia would organize the 34th SEA Games in 2027 in a proper and transparent manner, in line with international sporting principles.
Although the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand concluded on December 20, Anwar only posted a congratulatory message to the Malaysian sports delegation on Monday evening. He stated that it was not too late to praise Malaysia’s proud achievements at the SEA Games held in Thailand.
Anwar described Malaysia’s haul of 57 gold, 57 silver and 117 bronze medals as a successful outcome resulting from strong discipline, continuous sacrifice and the fighting spirit of the athletes, coaches, and sports officials who remained steadfast in representing the nation at regional competitions.
He emphasised that Malaysia would use its success at the 33rd SEA Games in 2025 as a catalyst to strengthen its capabilities and prepare even better for hosting the 34th SEA Games in 2027, ensuring fair competition and adherence to regional and international sporting principles.
“We will ensure that the preparations as hosts of the 2027 SEA Games are thoroughly planned and authoritatively executed, not just from the preliminary and hosting standpoint, but in building a sustainable sporting ecosystem as well as producing world-class talent,” he said.
“More than that, sports are a container for uniting people that unite us across races, regions and backgrounds in one spirit of togetherness and national pride. This is the real strength of Malaysia that must continue to be preserved and empowered,” added the prime minister, who also serves as ASEAN chair.
Although he chose not to point out the weaknesses and numerous problems that arose during Thailand’s hosting of the 33rd SEA Games in 2025, delegations from other countries — especially Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines — were affected and openly criticised Thailand’s poor organisation and unfair officiating.
These issues led to protests and disputes in several sporting events.
Most significantly, the Thai leadership was accused of linking the 33rd SEA Games to its domestic political issues, contrary to international sporting and Olympic movement principles. Strong pressure was reportedly placed on the Cambodian sports delegation, forcing Cambodia to withdraw from the Games halfway through, despite having fulfilled its role as a responsible ASEAN member by participating in the opening ceremony on the night of December 9.
Chamroeun expressed confidence in Malaysia and its leadership to restore the reputation of the SEA Games through the successful hosting of the 34th edition in 2027.
Speaking to The Post on Tuesday morning, Mr. Chamroeun said: “We hope that Malaysia, as the next host, will organise the 2027 SEA Games better, with warmth and professionalism, and help restore the good image of the SEA Games. We are confident in Malaysia’s commitment and early preparation, from the prime minister down to the Malaysian National Olympic Committee.”
“Malaysia generally has strong resources and many experts with deep knowledge of the Olympic movement. In particular, it has hosted many major Olympic meetings and organised extensive Olympic training programmes. These are strong advantages within the Olympic movement, and that is why we hope and firmly believe Malaysia will successfully host the 2027 SEA Games,” he added.
