KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has withdrawn from its plans to co-host the 2027 SEA Games, according to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
In a written parliamentary response reported by FMT, Yeoh stated that the Sabah government had initially committed to the co-hosting agreement with a budget of RM100.52 million.
However, they decided to pull out due to insufficient facilities. The estimated total expense for the games is around RM700 million. Yeoh confirmed that the Sarawak and Penang governments have pledged to contribute RM365 million and RM15 million, respectively, toward the event.
She emphasised that the costs for the 2027 SEA Games will be shared among the federal government, participating state governments, and corporate sponsors.
Yeoh noted that additional discussions with the private sector for sponsorship are planned.
This information came in response to a query from Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Batu Kawan), who is also the Chief Minister of Penang, regarding the financial allocations for the SEA Games.
Although Sabah initially proposed to provide RM100 million for co-hosting, Sabah’s Finance Minister Masidi Manjun later clarified that the state had not made any financial commitments due to the lack of adequate sports infrastructure.
On September 5, the state cabinet had collectively agreed to explore the possibility of co-hosting the 2027 SEA Games.
