In March 2024, Malaysia made a big call: the government rejected the Commonwealth Games Federation’s offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. At first glance, it looked like a pragmatic move. The Games were just two years away, the costs were massive, and even with the £100 million sweetener on the table, Cabinet felt the financial risks outweighed the rewards. Then, fast forward to 2025: headlines break that RM300 million is being considered for the return of Formula 1 at Sepang. Cue outrage, confusion, and a flood of uncomfortable questions.
Because here’s the paradox: Malaysia says no to hosting one of the world’s most celebrated multi-sport events a platform for hundreds of our own athletes to shine yet flirts with throwing hundreds of millions at a sport where only billionaires, oil sheikhs, and private sponsors usually dominate.
Something doesn’t add up. Unless, of course, the real conversation isn’t about budgets or timelines. It’s about what kind of country Malaysia wants to be seen as: a nation that chases global prestige through expensive luxuries, or one that invests in athletes whose achievements build legacies that outlast any one race weekend.
The Price Tag of Prestige
When the government declined the Commonwealth Games, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh was blunt: if public funds are needed, best not to host. The logic was straightforward. Hosting costs would balloon far beyond the RM600 million (US$127 million) offered by the Federation. Stadium upgrades, logistics, security, accommodation, broadcasting the works. Cabinet decided the short time frame and steep bills made it a no-go.
But then came the Formula 1 debate. Here, reports surfaced of RM300 million potentially being allocated. Cue the inevitable question from ordinary Malaysians: why is one “too costly” while the other suddenly possible? The contradiction is striking. Because if Malaysia truly cannot afford to host the Commonwealth Games, then how can it justify spending taxpayer money to subsidise a luxury sport that benefits only a handful of elites, tourism players, and global sponsors?
This is where the narrative splits. Formula 1 is a luxury, no doubt about it. But athletes our silambam fighters, our track cyclists, our divers, our sepak takraw players they are a legacy. When they bring home medals, it’s not just about prestige for a weekend. It’s a story of sweat, sacrifice, and decades of dedication. It’s about national pride that endures, inspiring future generations.
The Singapore Model vs. The Thai Gamble
To be clear, Formula 1 is not inherently bad. Singapore has shown what a smart model can look like. Since 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix has been privately promoted by Singapore GP Pte Ltd, with government backing channelled mainly through the Singapore Tourism Board. It’s a public-private partnership where corporates bear the brunt, and taxpayers only share part of the load in exchange for guaranteed tourism windfalls. The race has become iconic, not because the government foots the bill alone, but because the private sector drives it.
Meanwhile, Thailand has just taken a different route. In June 2025, Bangkok’s Cabinet approved a staggering US$1.2 billion (40 billion baht) bid to host Formula 1 starting 2028. It’s a bold gamble, a government-led push for prestige, tourism, and global spotlight. But the risks are obvious: ballooning costs, uncertain returns, and potential public backlash if taxpayers feel they’re footing the bill for billionaires to race cars through their streets.
Malaysia sits awkwardly between these two models. We’ve tasted the glitz before Sepang hosted F1 from 1999 until 2017. But we also shut the door on it once, precisely because costs outweighed benefits. If the race is to return, it must be clear: let private promoters and corporate sponsors carry the financial load. Ordinary Malaysians should not be asked to bankroll what is essentially a playground for the world’s wealthiest sport.
Commonwealth Games: The Missed Opportunity
Contrast that with the Commonwealth Games. Unlike F1, the Games are not about luxury or elite exclusivity. They’re about athletes. They’re about our own people stepping onto the stage with the chance to etch their names into history. For Malaysia, hosting would have meant hundreds of our athletes competing at home, in front of their families, in stadiums filled with Malaysian flags.
Yes, the costs were high. Yes, the time frame was tight. But rejecting it outright sent another message too: that global prestige sometimes matters more than nurturing local heroes. The Games, unlike Formula 1, don’t create billionaires. They create legacies. Think Nicol David’s rise, Azizulhasni Awang’s grit, or Pandelela Rinong’s dives and Sivasangari Subramaniam, who has risen to world-class squash stardom after overcoming near tragedy in a car accident. These are names written into Malaysia’s story not because of corporate sponsorship, but because of sheer national pride.
When Hannah Yeoh says, “support local athletes first,” she’s not wrong. But decisions like this make it feel like we’re sending mixed signals. If money can be found for F1, why not for a Games that directly benefits Malaysians?
Missed Chances and Regional Leadership
Even in a short time just two years to organise the Commonwealth and with £100 million sweetener on the table Malaysia could have handled it. After all, we’ve organised before. Back in 1998, during an economic downturn far worse than today, Malaysia successfully pulled off the Games. If we could then, why not now?
The refusal also weakens our standing in Southeast Asia. Hosting would not just have been about sports, but about strengthening regional ties. Imagine Malaysia positioned as the hub for Southern Asian sporting diplomacy: neighbours like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam sending athletes and spectators, building goodwill and future business correspondents. We’ve been peace brokers in business and politics why not in sports too?
And then there’s the Silambam episode. Reports suggest its leaders “missed” a crucial meeting in Melaka tied to Sukma 2026. But leadership in a multicultural, multi-sport nation isn’t about tallying attendance like school prefects. The real questions are: Why didn’t they attend? Did the Ministry make enough effort to bridge the gap? Were communication channels clear and inclusive? These are simple yet complicated challenges that, if unresolved, threaten the pipeline of future champions. Because in the end, athletes are not just medal winners. Athletes are a legacy.
Luxury vs Legacy: Where Do We Stand?
The tension is clear: F1 brings global branding and international eyeballs. Commonwealth Games build athletes and national pride. One is fleeting; the other endures.
Here’s the brutal truth: luxuries fade, legacies last. The roar of an F1 weekend is gone in three days. But the legacy of a Commonwealth Games medalist can inspire children for decades. A photo of Nicol David or Lee Chong Wei hanging in a kampung home carries more weight than any Instagram post of Lewis Hamilton standing by the Petronas Towers.
Malaysia’s Own Proof: MotoGP and Badminton
We don’t have to look far to see what legacies look like. MotoGP at Sepang has quietly become one of the most successful events in Malaysia’s sporting calendar. Why? Because it’s sustainable. It draws huge crowds, boosts tourism, and puts Malaysia on the global motorsport map without bankrupting taxpayers. Riders like Hafizh Syahrin have emerged as local heroes precisely because MotoGP was given a platform.
Badminton tells a similar story. It is not just a sport here; it is a cultural heartbeat. Generations have grown up watching our shuttlers fight tooth and nail against giants from China, Indonesia, and Denmark. Every Thomas Cup campaign, every Olympic medal chase has been a story that unites Malaysians across race, religion, and class.
These are legacies that endure. They didn’t require billion-ringgit gambles. They required smart investments, long-term planning, and consistent support for athletes.
The People’s Perspective
Let’s be honest: Malaysians aren’t against prestige. We love it when the world notices us. We cheered when Sepang first appeared on the F1 calendar. We beam with pride when international stars visit Kuala Lumpur. But Malaysians are also pragmatic. They know when something feels like a good deal and when it feels like a raw one.
Paying RM300 million for F1 feels like a raw deal, unless it is clear that taxpayers won’t foot the bill. Rejecting the Commonwealth Games, meanwhile, feels like a missed opportunity to celebrate our own. The rakyat see these contradictions, and they’re asking the obvious: are we a nation that chases fleeting prestige, or one that builds lasting legacy?
What We Can Learn
From Singapore: let the private sector carry the burden. If F1 comes back, fine. But let Petronas, AirAsia, and other corporate giants fight for the sponsorship rights. Government funds should go into athlete training, grassroots sports, and infrastructure that benefits Malaysians.
From Thailand: don’t gamble the house. Ambition is good. But a US$1.2 billion price tag is a dangerous roll of the dice. If it pays off, great. If it doesn’t, taxpayers will be carrying that debt for decades.
From ourselves: remember what makes Malaysia proud. It’s not billionaires racing in Sepang. It’s Nicol David lifting the squash world title. It’s Azizulhasni riding with one lung collapsed. It’s Lee Chong Wei pushing Lin Dan to the edge. These are the legacies that truly define us.
Closing: Luxury Fades, Legacy Lasts
So yes F1 may return. And maybe, one day, the Commonwealth Games will too. But the lens we use to judge these events matters. Formula 1 is a luxury. Athletes are a legacy. One dazzles briefly; the other endures for generations.
Malaysia cannot afford to keep chasing fleeting prestige at the expense of enduring pride. Let private promoters take care of the luxuries. Let the government invest in the legacies. That is the only way we build not just sports headlines, but a sporting nation.
Nations rise not by hosting games, but by nurturing champions - Annan Vaithegi
Annan Vaithegi (annanvaithegi@icloud.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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