04/06/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | JUNE 4, 2026

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National Paralympic Council eyes throwball success

Thai players, coaches referred to Istaf disciplinary committee A TOTAL of 12 players and three officials from the Thai delegation have been referred to the International Sepaktakraw Federation (Istaf) disciplinary committee following the controversy during the team regu final of the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup here last month. Istaf secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Kader said in a statement yesterday that the decision was made unanimously by the governing body’s Executive Committee after a special meeting on May 30 to review the incident that occurred during the third regu match at the Titiwangsa Stadium here. The 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup team regu final

in Kuala Lumpur on May 23 was marred by con troversy after Thailand staged a walkout to pro test the referee’s decision, with Malaysia subse quently being declared the winners with a 2-1 scoreline. Abdul Halim said that the referral was made to enable a thorough, independent, and fair investigation into all the facts and circumstances that led to the actions taken by the Thai team during the final. “This referral encompasses individuals who may have been directly or indirectly involved, contributed to, participated in, supported, influ enced, facilitated, encouraged, or in any way played a role in the events and decisions that resulted in the abandonment of the match,” he said. However, Abdul Halim emphasised that the referral should not be misconstrued as a deter mination that any athlete or official has commit ted misconduct or violated regulations. Instead, Abdul Halim said the Istaf Disciplinary Committee will review all evidence, arguments, and representations before deter mining if there has been any breach of the con stitution, rules, laws, or code of ethics of the heri tage sport’s governing body. He added that every individual involved will be given an adequate opportunity to present explanations and supporting evidence, in line with the principles of natural justice and proce dural fairness. – Bernama

Newly-formed independent mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron (right) and Lai Pei Jing. – BERNAMAFILEPIC

THE Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC) sees para throw ball as a new sport with great potential to expand the partici pation of people with disabili ties (PwD) in competitive sports, as well as opening up opportu nities for the country to achieve success on the international stage. MPC president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin said the sport is currently devel oping internationally and has the potential to be contested at the Commonwealth Games in the future before paving the way for bigger platforms includ ing the Paralympic Games. He said Malaysia had formed men’s and women’s teams to face international tournaments after the conclusion of the Asian Para Throwball Championships held from Monday to tomorrow in the federal capital. “This is a new sport and I believe the teams that have been formed can bring sur prises. After the championship in Malaysia, we also see an oppor tunity to send a team to India to gain more competition experi ence,” he said. He told reporters at the opening of the 2nd Asian Para Throwball Championships 2026 at the Paralympic Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur yes terday. Megat D Shahriman said the development of para throwball was also in line with MPC’s goal to provide more sports options for the disabled community in this country. He said the sport could be an alternative for athletes who may not be suitable or do not meet the classification for other para sports such as para power lifting, amputee football or sit ting volleyball. “We want more individuals with disabilities to participate in sports. They may not necessar ily be able to play all types of sports, but they may be able to play throwball. “Our objective is to ensure that more people with disabili ties can adopt a healthy lifestyle and undergo the rehabilitation process through sports,” he said. Commenting on the national contingent for the Asian Para Throwball Championship, he said a total of 22 athletes, consisting of 11 men and 11 women, were selected to represent the coun try after a selection process involving almost 50 partici pants. “This sport is still very new and in the early stages of devel opment. If it is contested at the Commonwealth Games, our chances of winning a medal are bright because many countries are still in the development phase of this sport,” he said. – Bernama

Steady start

Mixed doubles pair lead national charge in Indonesia M ALAYSIAN independent mixed dou bles pair Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing spearheaded a series of strong per formances for the Malaysian contin gent, comfortably sealing their spot in the second round of the Indonesia Open 2026 at Istora Senayan yesterday.

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Japan’s world No. 11 Kodai Naraoka. Jun Hao avenged his recent Thomas Cup defeat with a sharp, aggressive 21-17, 21-17 straight games victory, snapping his own early-exit streak. “It was a difficult time, the last few months,” Jun Hao admitted. “I just had to believe in myself. It’s been long since I had a good match like this. “This win gives me confidence and helps me stay consistent for the following match. This is the best I’ve played in a long time.” Malaysia’s men’s doubles teams mirrored this success. Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani clinically dispatched Singapore’s Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo 21-17, 21-16 to progress. Meanwhile, the emerging young pair of Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai advanced unexpectedly into the second round after their top-seeded Indian opponents, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, handed them a walkover during the opening game. However, it was a disappointing day for Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub Azriyn-Tan Wee Kiong, who bowed out in the first round after suffering an 18 21, 10-21 defeat to India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan-M R Arjun. Also enduring an early exit were mixed doubles pair Jimmy Wong-Cheng Su Yin, who fell 19-21, 18 21 to China’s world number one Feng Yan Zhe Huang Dong Ping in a 45-minute contest. – Bernama/Agencies sure alongside the world’s best riders,” said the tal ented 18-year-old rider in an official ZK Racing state ment yesterday. “The experience of competing in the front pack all the way to the finish line gives me a deeper understanding of how to handle the bike and make crucial decisions when the race enters its critical phase.” The AEON Credit-MT Helmets-MSi team rider admitted that the upcoming challenge in Hungary will be completely different as he has never raced at the Balaton Park Circuit before. However, he remains deeply confident he can adapt quickly to the unfamiliar technical corners, thanks to his rigorous physical training and struc tured track preparations. After seven demanding rounds this World Championship season, Hakim Danish currently sits 11th overall in the Moto3 standings with 43 points. He strongly aims to break into the global top ten with another stellar performance this weekend. – Bernama

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The duo decisively ended their recent slump of consecutive first-round exits at the Malaysia Masters and Singapore Open by dispatching Indonesia’s Marwan Faza and Aisyah Salsabila Putri Pranata. Pang Ron- Pei Jing required just 31 minutes to record a dominant 21-17, 21-9 victory over the home favorites. They now face a formidable sec ond-round clash against Thailand’s world No. 3 seeds, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran. Joining them in the Round of 16 are fellow vet eran independent pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai. The world No. 12 pair demonstrated remarkable resilience to rescue their campaign, recovering from a game down to eliminate Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 17-21, 21-16, 23-21. Soon Huat and Shevon are scheduled to battle eighth seeds Jafar Hidayatullah and Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu today. In the men’s singles division, world No. 27 Leong Jun Hao captured headlines by registering a sensational upset over YOUNG national rider Muhammad Hakim Danish Ramli is determined to maintain his excellent momentum after securing his maiden podium in the Moto3 World Championship, ahead of the upcoming Hungary Grand Prix (GP) at the Balaton Park Circuit from June 5 to 7. Hakim Danish heads into the eighth round of the racing season with high confidence after making personal history by finishing third at the Italian GP in Mugello last Sunday. The incredible success is not only the absolute best result of his career on the world stage, but it also happily ends Malaysia’s grueling 10-year wait to return to the podium in the highly competitive Moto3 class. This historic milestone has thoroughly rejuve nated local motorsport fans and inspired the next generation of young Malaysian racers who dream of competing globally on two wheels. “A lot of lessons were learned from the race in Mugello, especially in aspects of race management, strategy, and staying calm when facing intense pres

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