KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin won’t have an easy ride entering the 2017 Sea Games polo team.
Though Khairy has been shortlisted, Putra Polo Club president Datuk Seri Mohammad Norza Zakaria described the selection process as stringent, saying that national players are picked based on merit.
Hopefuls have to undergo several phases of preliminary assessment, before making the cut.
Norza said Khairy will have to compete with the 11 other players shortlisted by the Royal Malaysian Polo Association for the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games.
“Malaysia are the defending champions after winning gold at the 2007 Sea Games in Korat (Thailand), and we want to defend the title next year,” he added.
Norza, who led the Putra Polo Club to successfully defend their Malaysian Open Polo title on Sunday, announced earlier this month that Khairy is among 12 players shortlisted for the Sea Games.