PUCHONG — The official number of athletes and officials involved in this year’s SEA Games (2025 SEA GAMES) in Thailand will be known on Sept 1 said Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria.

Norza said, however, the number would be larger than the previous edition in Cambodia, as Malaysia will be participating in 49 sports.

“We believe the whole contingent, including athletes and officials, will be more than one thousand. But right now, I can’t give the exact number because it hasn’t been finalised yet.

“That’s because some associations are still in the process of selecting their athletes to be sent to the SEA Games, whether under Category A or Category B,” he told reporters after the prize-giving ceremony for the OCM Santokh Singh Cup Under-18 Unity Futsal Championship here today.

At the Cambodia SEA Games, the Malaysian contingent comprised 677 athletes and 277 officials who were involved in 34 sports.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Norza said the safety and well-being of the Malaysian contingent at the SEA Games are a priority for the OCM, following previous tensions at the Thailand-Cambodia border.

“We are ready to send a strong contingent, while at the same time ensuring the safety and welfare of our athletes are fully protected. The safety and welfare of our athletes and officials is a priority and will never be compromised,” he said.

For the record, the national contingent to the Thailand SEA Games will be led by former national swimming queen Nurul Huda Abdullah, who will be assisted by three deputies: Datuk Kenny Goh Chee Keong, Nazmizan Mohamad, and Jivan Mohan.

The Thaiiand SEA Games 2025 will take place from Dec 9-20 in three regions: Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkla.