Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 25, 2025: The President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and Vice President of the OCA for the South East Asia zone, Dr Norza Zakaria, delivered the keynote address at the ASEAN Conference in Gender Equity in Sports 2025 on Tuesday, June 24.
The theme of Dr Norza’s presentation was “Women in Leadership: Elevating Sports, Inspiring Generations”.
Dr. Norza expressed his deep appreciation, on behalf of both the OCA and OCM, to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia for hosting this timely and significant conference. He also commended Hon. Hannah Yeoh for her unwavering leadership and commitment to gender equity in sports, highlighting her distinction as only the second woman to serve as Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports.
“The sports industry has historically been a male-dominated field,” Dr. Norza said.
“However, we are now witnessing a transformative era where women are increasingly stepping into leadership roles across all sectors, from sports management to governance, and are driving innovation, inclusivity and growth.
“This change is not only necessary for achieving gender balance, it is crucial for unlocking new perspectives that will enrich and elevate the entire industry.”
Dr. Norza shared insights from the OCA and acknowledged the achievements of prominent female sports leaders from Asia who have been entrusted with key leadership roles within both the OCA and the IOC, namely Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, IOC Executive Board member from the Philippines, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, IOC Member from Thailand, and Zhang Hong, IOC Member from China.
He went on to highlight notable gender equity initiatives led by NOC Malaysia, including:
*The appointment of Nicol David, eight-time world squash champion, as Malaysia’s Deputy Chef de Mission at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
*The election of Olympian Nurul Huda Abdullah, a legendary swimmer, as Vice President and Chairperson of the Gender Equity Committee
*The election of Moira Tan Siew See, a dedicated educator, as Assistant Secretary General and Chairperson of the Education and Training Committee
*The election of Shalin Zulkifli, an accomplished tenpin bowler, as Chairperson of the Athletes’ Commission.
The conference, scheduled from June 24-26, is taking place at Cititel Penang, Malaysia and has brought together over 200 delegates from across Southeast Asia, including representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
