By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Oct 30: More than 800 esports competitors are expected to battle for a share of RM50,000 in prize money at the Sarawak Esports Expo (SAREX) 2026, which will take place from November 13 to 15 at Sarawak Sports Village, Kuching.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the three-day expo would feature six competition categories, covering popular mobile games, fighting games and sports simulations.
The games featured in the tournament include PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Men’s and Women’s categories), Racing Simulation Open, Tekken 8 Open and E-Football Open.
“We have received 600 registrations so far. I think it is only a matter of time before the number reaches 800, especially once the event is publicised through the media tomorrow,” he said during the SAREX 2026 press conference at Petra Jaya today.
Abdul Karim said the expo would also feature an esports workshop involving about 100 participants on Nov 13, aimed at equipping local enthusiasts with knowledge of tournament setup and operations, technical requirements, competition administration, broadcasting and event management.
The workshop would feature Malaysia’s first esports athlete to win a SEA Games gold medal, Associate Professor Dr Yew Weng Kean, and Malaysia Esports Federation vice-president II Muhammad Faries Faizal Shamsul.
Meanwhile, the expo will also host a forum featuring international speakers and industry leaders, including International Esports Federation secretary-general Boban Totovski and media director Laura Elizabeth, as well as representatives from the Russian, Southeast Asian and Vietnamese esports federations.
Other speakers include Kim Global executive director and chief executive officer Vincent Choe from Singapore, and Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) acting chief executive officer Aslan Shahrum.
Abdul Karim said the participation of international industry figures would further raise SAREX’s profile and reflect the organisers’ efforts to establish connections with esports stakeholders beyond Sarawak.
The event will also feature about 10 exhibition spaces showcasing gaming businesses, technology companies, government agencies, educational institutions and other industry stakeholders.
He also acknowledged that venue capacity could be a challenge, as several sporting facilities were currently restricted due to preparations for SUKMA.
“Many of our facilities are currently under restrictions because of preparations for SUKMA. That is why we cannot use other facilities, such as the stadiums and Padang 1, which would otherwise be ideal venues. We can only offer the Sarawak Sports Village for this event,” he said.
Nevertheless, he expressed hope that the venue would be able to accommodate competitors and spectators, with the organisers expected to make the necessary arrangements to manage the crowd. — DayakDaily
