Malaysia Global Business Forum to support local sporting initiatives in 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has the opportunity to move to corporate funded sports model, allowing the government shift to investments into required infrastructure and land grants for sporting facilities.

As Malaysia moves to developed nation status, it needs to develop a world class sporting culture that is both positive and sustainable.

In line with global best practice sports and the business community go hand in hand, eventually developing a thriving sports industry.

Recent social listening data provided by Harvestmedia suggests that several sporting community clusters exist on social media, together with recent search trends which regularly sees sports related searches above entertainment and politics, suggests that companies and brands are missing the boat when it comes to community engagement in various sports.

“To address the gap, the Malaysia Global Business Forum will support the development of sports in two strategic ways; the development of premier clubs that are within a national structure and the strengthening of national sporting bodies which have a clear structure and a pathway for success players,” highlighted Nordin Abdullah, founding chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum.

“We have identified five sports, namely futsal, cricket, fencing, women’s netball and running which have the key elements of a growing community, potential for growth as a sport and the ability to produce high performance athletes which will contribute to raising standards locally and impact Malaysia’s international ranking.

“This coupled with the ability to produce a broadcast product that will have TV or social media audiences which brands or corporations will be able to benefit from partnerships with the specific sport.

“Ultimately we need to build up individuals that have a winning attitude, if a nation can win on the sporting field then they will be able to create brands and companies that can win in the global market place, this is why the Malaysia Global Business Forum is getting behind the future winners of tomorrow,” Nordin concluded.

The Malaysia Global Business Forum was established to assist stakeholders at the intersection of international business and Malaysian business through advisory, advocacy, research, networking and business matching.

MGBF focus its’ CSR efforts on the development of sports as a way to develop community and national spirit.