Sarawak To Host Special Olympics Malaysia Games 2026, With Bintulu As Main Venue
KUCHING: Sarawak has been entrusted with hosting a prestigious national-level sporting event, with Bintulu selected as the main venue for the 6th Special Olympics Malaysia Games, scheduled to take place from 24 to 26 April 2026.
Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, said Bintulu was chosen based on its level of preparedness and the availability of existing sports facilities capable of accommodating all eight sporting events to be contested throughout the Games.
“The 6th Special Olympics Malaysia Games will be held entirely in Bintulu as the town has complete facilities for all eight sports events involved. At the same time, Kuching is currently making preparations to host another major sporting event,” she said.
She made these remarks during a press conference following the Meeting of the Special Olympics Malaysia (SOM) Games 2026 Steering Committee here on Friday.
Dato Sri Fatimah also announced that the opening ceremony of the Games is scheduled for 25 April 2026, while the closing ceremony will take place on 26 April 2026.
She explained that a total of 778 participants are expected to be involved, comprising athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers from 11 states, including Sarawak as the host.
“These participants include athletes, coaches, specialists and officials from Sarawak, Sabah, Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Pahang and the Federal Territories, including Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur,” she said.
Dato Sri Fatimah, who is also the Chairperson of Special Olympics Sarawak, stressed that the core philosophy of the Special Olympics is not merely about winning medals, but about encouraging participation among athletes with special needs.
“What is emphasised in the Special Olympics is participation. As reflected in our tagline, ‘Let me win, but if I fail, let me be brave enough to try’. By taking part in this Games, they are already winners,” she said.
In addition to sporting events, she noted that the Games will also feature the Healthy Athletes Programme, which provides athletes with the opportunity to undergo free health screenings.
“This Healthy Athletes Programme is very important because it gives our athletes access to health screenings that they may not otherwise receive. Based on past records, some athletes only became aware of underlying health issues after going through this programme,” she explained.
She further informed that Sarawak will be sending a total of 248 athletes, in an effort to ensure more local athletes are given the opportunity to showcase their talents and potential.
Also present at the press conference were Chairperson of the Special Olympics Bintulu Chapter, Dato Ruslan Abdul Ghani, and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK), Alina Abdullah @ Colliner Gohe. -UKASnews
