Sponsors sign on to support Malaysian basketball

The Malaysia Basketball Association (Maba) has agreed sponsorship deals with PRG Holdings and logistics company Westports Malaysia.

According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, Maba has signed one-year deals with both firms. The Westports Malaysia agreement is reportedly worth RM2.5m (€525,000/$565,000), while the PRG Holdings deal is said to be worth RM1m.

Maba will use the funds to aid the development and training of the Malaysian national teams and coaching staff.

The sponsorship money will also be used to renovate the Maba Stadium, which is due to host basketball games during Malaysia’s staging of the Southeast Asian Games multi-sport event later this year.

Khairy Jamaluddin, Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister, said: “This is the best example of having a corporate sponsor supporting local sports and working together in synergy.

“I want to congratulate Westports and Maba for putting this partnership together … and to PRG for following suit in coming up with the financial support for Maba.

“Hopefully, this will set a good example to other sports associations … that they do not need to rely fully on government funding.”

Maba has been without a major sponsor since its 20-year association with oil and gas company Petronas came to an end in 2015. That agreement was worth RM1.5m per year, according to The Star.