By scaling down Tuanku’s Silver Jubilee and Sukma 2026, the Sultan of Selangor champions discipline and humility in the face of economic uncertainty.
THE call by His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for a measured and prudent approach to Sukma 2026, the Malaysia Games, is not only timely but deeply responsible.
At a time when economic headwinds and global uncertainties continue to cast a long shadow, the Sultan of Selangor has rightly reminded us that the essence of Sukma lies in sport.
There is no need to make a spectacle of Sukma, which Selangor is hosting in August, because it is not the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, or the Asian Games.
Surely, there is no need to splash for the biennial national multi-sport event.
The national sports event has been around for 40 years and is rightly an important event in the national sports calendar, as it is a platform to nurture young Malaysian athletes and select them for the South-East Asia (SEA) Games.
It is essential to identify future national athletes and build unity through healthy competition.
They are not meant to mirror the extravagance of mega-events like the Olympics or Asian Games. Sukma is a platform for athletes, not politicians.
When priorities are clear, then there is no need for lavish opening ceremonies, grandiose displays, and costly fanfare. Sukma is a sports event, not a concert or a performance.
For too long, there has been a tendency – not just in sports, but across public events – to equate success with scale.
Bigger stages, flashier per formances, and higher budgets are often seen as symbols of prestige.
Unfortunately, the reality is every ringgit spent on fireworks and pageantry is a ringgit that could have gone into athlete development, training facilities, or grassroots programmes.
The Sultan’s call for prudence is therefore a call for discipline – fiscal discipline, yes, but also conceptual discipline.
Tuanku himself has led by example. He has called off the 2026 edition of the Sultan of Selangor Cup between Selangor and Singapore due to high costs and the uncertainties in the Middle East.
He had also earlier suggested postponing the 2026 Sukma Games but has consented to the event’s proceeding in Selangor, which is the host, in August with specific cost-saving measures.
The Sultan of Selangor has also decreed that the celebration for his Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary of his reign) be significantly scaled down due to economic challenges and to prioritise the people’s welfare.
The cancelled events included a royal banquet, fireworks and public concerts, with saved funds redirected to the Sultan Selangor Foundation and other charities to support those in need, rather than festivities.
A modest Sukma opening ceremony does not diminish the spirit of the Games; if anything, it reinforces the idea that the real stars are the athletes, not the stage.
Malaysians are increasingly mindful of how money is spent. Importantly, prudence does not mean compromising quality.
Competitions can still be well-organised, venues functional, and athletes well-supported – all without unnecessary extravagance.
The people of Selangor have the right to know how their money will be used.
Naturally, the games will be sponsored by allocations from the state and federal governments, but ultimately, it is the taxpayers’ money.
We would want to know the adjusted budget, where the allocations go, and whether they are justifiable.
The Sultan of Selangor has done more than set a tone for one sporting event.
He has set a standard for how we should approach public spending – with humility, clarity of purpose, and a firm eye on what truly matters.
