Sarawak is setting its sights on hosting the Malaysia Super 100 next year, followed by the World Junior Championships in 2028 and the World Senior Championships in 2029, as part of an ambitious bid to establish the state as a leading badminton development and high-performance centre in East Malaysia.
- Bidding for BWF-sanctioned events places Sarawak firmly on the global calendar, shifting logistical focus away from the Klang Valley.
The plans form part of the Sarawak Badminton Association’s Smash 2030 blueprint, The Star reported. Sarawak aims to promote the state as a sports tourism destination alongside its high-performance goals.
The recent success of Kuching-born Genevie Lim provided added motivation to pursue international tournaments. Lim made history by winning the world junior girls’ doubles title alongside Low Zi Yu.
“Previously, BAM deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam had asked whether Sarawak BA were interested in bidding to host any tournaments under the Badminton World Federation,” said Datuk Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, Sarawak Badminton Association secretary-general.
Wan Khalik told The Star that the association initially considered hosting a Super 300 tournament. Malaysia does not currently feature an event at that tier, leading officials to evaluate the Super 100 category instead.
Following board discussions, the association agreed to pursue the October slot for the Super 100 tournament. The scheduling falls directly after the SEA Games, an event Sarawak is co-hosting.
The Malaysian Open and Malaysian Masters maintain existing sponsor commitments within the Klang Valley. Consequently, Sarawak focused its current bidding strategy on the Super 100 and global age-group championships.
| Tournament Bid | Target Year | Strategic Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia Super 100 | Next year | Post-SEA Games window & BWF calendar integration |
| World Junior Championships | 2028 | Grassroots pathways & youth development |
| World Senior Championships | 2029 | Sports tourism & master-level engagement |
Sarawak previously hosted the Malaysian Open twice in Kuching in 2006 and 2017. The state also staged the Malaysian Masters in Sibu in 2017.
The Malaysia Super 100 debuted in 2023. The first two editions took place in Kuala Lumpur before moving to Iskandar Puteri, Johor, last year.
“Coincidentally, Genevie has just won the world junior title, so that has also encouraged us to look at bringing more international badminton tournaments to Sarawak,” Wan Khalik told The Star.
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