By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Feb 10: The inaugural edition of the revived Borneo Games is expected to take place in the second half of 2025, likely after August.
In stating this, Sarawak Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said discussions among participating states had begun at the end of last year, with the event likely to commence with five or six sports before gradually expanding in the coming years.
While specific sports have yet to be confirmed, he emphasised the need for consensus among the participating states—Brunei, Sabah, and parts of Kalimantan.
He acknowledged that Sarawak would benefit from including events where it traditionally excels, such as swimming and ten-pin bowling, but stressed that final decisions would depend on mutual agreement.
“There are sports that we might want to host, but the other components might not agree. That’s why I won’t name them yet.
“However, athletics is an essential part of any sports tournament. Without it, macam tidak ada (it feels incomplete),” he told reporters when met after the 2025 Youth and Sports Grant presentation ceremony held at Baitul Makmur 2 building here today.
Apart from the core Borneo states, Abdul Karim mentioned that other Malaysian states such as Johor and Pahang have shown interest in participating, though they are not geographically part of Borneo.
“In the event, it will be on an invitational basis. However, since this is the first edition of the revived games, we might not expand it yet.
“In the future, we may consider inviting regions such as Northern Territory, Australia, to elevate the level of competition,” he added.
Labuan has been confirmed as a new addition to the Borneo Games lineup, reinforcing the event’s regional identity.
Additionally, Banjarmasin, the largest city in South Kalimantan, is also being considered as part of the competition, further strengthening participation from Indonesia’s Kalimantan region.
“We are optimistic about hosting a successful event, and the response from the other components has been very positive,” he concluded.
At the event, Abdul Karim presented grants totalling RM1,894,600 to 42 youth and sports associations in Sarawak. – DayakDaily
