“Initially, we considered hosting a Super 300 tournament, but Malaysia does not have an event at that level. We were then asked to consider bidding for a Super 100 tournament,” Datuk Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad told The Star.
Sarawak is setting its sights on hosting three international badminton tournaments over the next three years, starting with the Malaysia Super 100 next year. The state’s badminton association aims to establish Sarawak as a leading badminton development and high-performance centre in East Malaysia while promoting the state as a sports tourism destination.
Smash 2030 Blueprint Targets International Events
The planned bids form a core component of the Smash 2030 blueprint released by the Sarawak Badminton Association. Alongside next year’s Malaysia Super 100, association officials plan to bid for the World Junior Championships in 2028 and the World Senior Championships in 2029.
“Previously, BAM deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam had asked whether Sarawak BA were interested in bidding to host any tournaments under the Badminton World Federation,” Wan Khalik told The Star.
Timing Aligns With Regional Games
Board members agreed to pursue the Super 100 event after noting its spot on the calendar in October. That scheduling places the tournament directly after the SEA Games, an multi-sport event that Sarawak will co-host.
“After discussions among our board members, we agreed to pursue the idea, especially since the tournament is scheduled for October, after the SEA Games, which Sarawak will also be co-hosting,” Wan Khalik told The Star.
Association leaders initially considered a Super 300 tournament before deciding to pursue the Super 100 category. The Malaysian Open and the Malaysian Masters will continue to be held in the Klang Valley.
“It’s not that we don’t want to bid for the Malaysian Open or Malaysian Masters, but both tournaments already have commitments with their respective sponsors and will continue to be held in the Klang Valley,” Wan Khalik told The Star.
Junior Success Inspires Local Bids
Momentum for the bidding strategy grew following a historic international victory by a local player. Genevie Lim, a native of Kuching, partnered with Low Zi Yu to capture the world junior girls’ doubles title.
“Coincidentally, Genevie has just won the world junior title, so that has also encouraged us to look at bringing more international badminton tournaments to Sarawak,” Wan Khalik told The Star.
Sarawak holds prior experience hosting elite badminton competition. The state previously staged the Malaysian Open in Kuching in 2006 and 2017, alongside the Malaysian Masters in Sibu in 2017.
Malaysia Super 100 Tournament History
The Malaysia Super 100 was first introduced in 2023. Its initial two editions took place in Kuala Lumpur before the tournament relocated to Iskandar Puteri, Johor, last year.
