PRESS RELEASE
Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation (MSAF)

MSAF Targets Inclusion of Paragliding and Paramotor in SEA Games 2027 as Part of Asian Air Games Roadmap

Putrajaya, Malaysia – The Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation (MSAF), led by its President Nurhaqimy Ismail, together with Enon Liwon, Nurdanish Daniel, and Nurdiana Syaqina, held a strategic meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dr. Taufiq Johari, at Menara KBS, Putrajaya.

The primary focus of the meeting was MSAF’s official appeal to include paragliding and paramotor as medal events in the SEA Games 2027, positioning Malaysia as a regional leader in airsports.

MSAF proposed a total of six medal events to be contested, comprising Paragliding Accuracy, Paragliding Cross Country, and Paramotor Classic. Based on current athlete performance and regional competitiveness, MSAF is targeting to secure at least three gold medals from these events.

The Minister expressed strong support for this initiative and highlighted the potential of adopting a blue ocean strategy to introduce airsports into the SEA Games framework, noting that the sector is rapidly developing in Malaysia and offers significant untapped potential. The Minister also emphasized the importance of emerging aviation disciplines such as drone sports as part of the country’s future sports development.

Despite the SEA Games 2027 hosting states being Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor, and Sarawak, MSAF has proposed Kuala Kubu Bharu as the dedicated competition venue for airsports, subject to special approval due to its proven track record, suitable terrain, and ideal flying conditions.

In preparation for this, MSAF will be organizing the Malaysia International Air Games this year, proposed to be held at Kuala Kubu Bharu in collaboration with the local club KLUKKB . This event will serve as a test event for the SEA Games 2027, allowing organizers to validate operations, competition structure, safety frameworks, and international participation readiness.

This initiative forms part of a broader strategic roadmap that began in 2023 with the Asian Sports Aviation Summit held in Selangor, where 17 Asian airsports presidents gathered and expressed strong support for the establishment of the Asian Air Games. The inclusion of airsports in SEA Games 2027 is a critical step within this ecosystem, serving as a milestone towards realizing the larger vision of the Asian Air Games.

Although the SEA Games Federation finalized 38 sports in December last year, MSAF is actively pursuing a formal appeal to include paragliding and paramotor in the SEA Games 2027 programme, with the final decision expected in early May.

MSAF remains committed to working closely with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful inclusion of paragliding and paramotor in the SEA Games, while strengthening Malaysia’s position in regional and international airsports.

End of Release