(Kuala Lumpur, 20th) Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi stated that, following RTM's successful completion of full free-to-air television broadcasts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Malaysia’s national broadcaster will next announce that it has secured the broadcasting rights to more world-class sports events.
He said that RTM Director-General Awang Azman had already reported to him that RTM will air several upcoming international sporting events, and related details will be announced in due course.
Fahmi made these remarks to the media after attending the “Unity Merdeka x RTM World Cup 2026” program in Independence Square in the early hours of today.
Meanwhile, Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson of the MADANI government, pointed out that the Ministry of Communications will obtain the complete viewership data for the final of the 2026 World Cup and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this edition’s broadcast performance.
He admitted that some technical issues did arise in the early phase of the sports broadcast, but these problems have been identified and successfully resolved.
“I will obtain the relevant data later and review the final broadcast results. It's true that there were some technical problems in the initial stage of the broadcast, but they have all been identified and smoothly resolved.”
He also believes that this World Cup broadcast is an important opportunity to explore new broadcasting technologies, including enabling people to watch television content via smartphones, which is a positive development for Malaysians.
“This is also a great opportunity for us to explore new technologies, including watching TV programs via smartphones. I believe this is a very good development for Malaysians, may Allah bless.”
Awang Azman: Cooperating with Media to Share Quality Content
On the other hand, Awang Azman stated that the Broadcasting Department will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with local media organizations to ensure the public can access quality content, including the broadcast of major sporting events.
He said RTM hopes to be a platform that unites media practitioners, working together to provide the best content for the people, rather than treating broadcasting rights as a tool for competition.
“This is not a matter of who gets exclusive broadcasting rights or not, nor a win or lose issue. When it comes to content needed by Malaysians, the Broadcasting Department believes it's already beyond the realm of competition.”
He added that this model of cooperation will not be limited to the World Cup broadcasts, but will extend to other major events in the future, ensuring that all viewers across the country can benefit.