Jais aims to future-proof squad as McDonald's rewards Asiad success

After decades of being Thailand's backup team in sepak takraw, Malaysia's national squad has turned the tables on their rivals in recent years. Head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun aims to maintain this momentum over the next few years by focusing on securing a consistent supply of new players. Jais emphasized the importance of continuity within the national squad, as the current players are aging.

Transitioning new players into the squad can be challenging, but preparing backup players to seamlessly integrate into the senior team is crucial. Jais has been working closely with the Malaysia Sepak Takraw Federation (MSTF) to ensure this transition happens smoothly.

The national team's recent success includes winning gold medals in the inter-regional and team events at the Thailand SEA Games last year, as well as a controversial team event final win at the Kuala Lumpur World Cup. Malaysia also secured the team event gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games last month, ending a 36-year wait. However, Thailand managed to defeat Malaysia in the inter-regional final.

Recently, the Malaysia Sepak Takraw Federation received a boost in support with RM50,000 contributions from McDonald's Malaysia for sepak takraw development in the country. McDonald's made this promise for every gold medal the national squad won at the recent Asian Games. Jais expressed his satisfaction with the corporate sector's support, hoping it will further strengthen sepak takraw for the future and help achieve the set targets.

McDonald's also supports the Mekdi National Takraw League, a joint initiative between them, Harian Metro, the Youth and Sports Ministry, and the MSTF.