Fahmi: Decision to reject hosting Commonwealth Games not due to public pressure
KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Public pressure played no role in the government’s decision not to take over hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games from Australia, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said the Cabinet made its decision based on a thorough presentation given by the Youth and Sports Ministry.
“In our discussion that was not a factor at all. Actually a lot of it has to do with ringgit and sen.
“So, when we assessed the budget of hosting the games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.
“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it. But because it is such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” Fahmi said at a post-Cabinet meeting press conference here in Angkasapuri.
He said the decision should not be seen as Malaysia missing an opportunity to be home to the Commonwealth Games, which it previously hosted in 1998.
Earlier today, the Youth and Sports Ministry said Malaysia will not accept the offer to take over hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games on short notice from Australia.
It said the £100 million (RM603 million) offered by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to help host the games was inadequate to cover the costs involved.
According to Fahmi, the ministry’s presentation said the would also benefit more by hosting concerts instead.
On a separate matter, Fahmi said the Cabinet’s decision to discontinue two controversial constitutional amendments affecting citizenship for foundlings was unanimous.
“There was consensus. So, it (the Cabinet) was unanimous,” he said.
The Cabinet decided today to drop two of eight constitutional amendments on Malaysian citizenship that would have affected foundlings in the country.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said earlier that the affected proposed amendments on Sections 19B and (1)(E) from the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution were discontinued based on feedback from federal lawmakers.
