MAS Fencing Fans

While one team was heading off earlier, another Malaysian squad was already in Bangkok competing at the Foil Junior World Cup, with bouts concluded just yesterday. Results are in, and here’s how our men’s foilists finished out of 198 fencers:

111 – Uzair Zafran
129 – Lucas Goh
142 – Reeqhan Vinod Kamalanathan
163 – Jayden Phoon Wey Ken
187 – Ashton Lee Wen Qi

The women’s squad — Sofea Nurfatnin, Joelle Chow, Yasmine Nessa, and Ava Lara Harris — is up next today.

Looking around the region, Singapore is celebrating a podium finish; clearly, their system and visibility are aligning with performance.

Back home, recognition still largely comes from the participating clubs themselves. This raises a familiar question: are we content letting clubs carry the narrative, or do we want a federation that champions its athletes publicly?

The talent is there. The effort is there. Our neighbours are showing what good practice looks like. The opportunity now is to match performance with pride and show up properly for those wearing Malaysia’s colours.

Update:
Noted that an update was shared in the Malaysia Fencing group by an association committee member, alongside a post from the Melaka Amateur Fencing Association - MAFA (because the delegation is headed by their President, who is also the Vice Chair of the main association). The intent is there, and that’s appreciated.
- Link in comment (timeline their post was 2 hours after our initial posting)

But let’s be honest, there’s a world of difference between a group post and a statement on an official page. One feels like a quiet acknowledgement; the other is a public show of pride and authority for the sport.

When athletes represent Malaysia at major events, whether regional multisport games or FIE competitions such as World Cups and Grand Prix, visibility matters. It validates their effort, engages fans, and elevates fencing as a whole.

We’ve seen state associations do this well, which tells us it can be done.

Time to raise the bar. Our fencers are already doing their part.

Our athletes have departed for the SEA Games, representing Malaysia on a regional stage, and yet there’s no fanfare, no photos, no posts from the federation. The only visibility comes from clubs proudly sharing that their students are carrying the Jalur Gemilang.

Juxtapose that with Teqball and Boules: proper acknowledgement, public support, and clear pride in their representatives. Different sports, same country, very different standards.

So the question is simple: what is the federation doing to honour those representing Malaysia? Because silence isn’t humility, it’s neglect.

Let's salute the fencers

Men's Foil
Tristan Cheng
Kaerlan Vinod Kamalanathan
Heng Yu Shern
Nordin Saif
* Goh Wen Hao was replaced last minute

Women's Foil
Tyanne Fong
Surayya Rizzal

Men's Epee
Ethan Yam
Isaac Seet
Kelvyn Kok
Kuan Zahn Yang

Women's Epee
Yap Jing Xuan
Electra Goh

Men's Sabre
Syed Adam Emir Putra
Wong Tzer Chyuan
Terry Lee
Sebastian Lim

Women's Sabre
Nur Irdina Amani Imran

Not the same competition, yes — but the difference in treatment is hard to ignore. Wushu Malaysia rolls out a proud, visible send-off for their young athletes. Clear recognition, solid federation presence. In fencing? Silence so loud it echoes. Unless the clubs post themselves, you wouldn’t even know our athletes are competing. Different events, sure… but the contrast in respect and visibility is still embarrassing. Our fencers deserve better.

By the way, who is representing team MAS for the fencing event?

Johor Fencing been putting in the work, their SUKMA and Bakat lines are proof that solid groundwork beats name power any day. KL clubs won’t be the only headline for long. Other states are waking up too, and that’s healthy for the sport. But let’s be real, old-school tactics and quiet corridors won’t grow fencing anymore. We need real infra, real promotion, and a new playbook

Melaka Amateur Fencing Association - MAFA thanks for the follow, love how active your page is with updates and highlights.

Hopefully that same energy can inspire better communication across the national level too since your President is also in the committee of the main association. The fencing community deserves to stay connected and informed.

Good luck in the upcoming Piala Warisan!

Even Cambodia, a smaller SEA nation, manages clearer and timelier updates for their fencing community. Malaysia really needs to step up its communication game, fans shouldn’t have to play detective just to follow our own fencers.

Cambodian Fencer Hai Srey Sros Heads to Indonesia Open to Sharpen Her Edge for SEA Games Glory — Fencing Federation of Cambodia Phnom Penh, Cambodia – October 3, 2025

Example of clear communication and preparation from Thailand.

Announcing who can qualify for selection way back in 2024.

Perhaps the media would be able to ask the tough questions for the sake of the sport.
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