International Rafting Federation

Official world rafting governing body

Malaysia rafting recognition boost

27 August 2020

Malaysia rafting recognition was boosted recently by accreditation from the Malaysia Commissioner of Sports. The Malaysia Rafting Association (MRA) (or Persatuan Rafting Malaysia in Malay) and the sport of rafting have received a great boost as MRA have received this formal accreditation. This recognition firmly establishes MRA as the organisation governing the sport of rafting in Malaysia. This will give the organisation the official standing it needs as it pursues the improvement of rafting standards in Malaysia and prepares to run the IRF’s World Cup Series event next year (postponed from this year), the Kampar River Festival.

Opening doors through Malaysia rafting recognition

National Sporting Authority (NSA) accreditation opens many doors for national sporting bodies and gives organisations the official status they need when approaching potential sponsors, funders and other organisations that can assist in the upliftment of the sport of rafting in a country. MRA has been a Provisional Member to the IRF for a number of years. But now, with NSA accreditation they will be presented at the IRF’s next Congress for acceptance as a Full Member.

The impetus for gaining accreditation came after Radak Adventures organised the Kampar River Festival in July 2019 based on the IRF Race Rules. Through this event they saw the potential of the event and of where rafting in Malaysia should be reaching for.

Malaysia rafting recognition — *Start of Sprint in 2019 Kampar River Festival*

Thanks to the whole team involved:

A number of people were instrumental in getting the association established, namely Mohamad Hafiz Khalid (as chairman of the sponsor committee), Samsul Mokti (of River Explorer); Mohd Hasrol (of Radak Adventure) and Hasli Izwan (Commissioner of Sports staff). And thanks must go to FAJI (Federasi Arung Jeram Indonesia), particularly Joni Kurniawan, who gave enormous amounts of help, commitment and advice to MRA about the best way to run events and their bid for the Kampar River Festival to be an IRF World Cup Series event.

Delays for Malaysia rafting recognition were encountered due to COVID-19, but eventually that too was overcome and the accreditation was achieved. Unfortunately the Malaysia Rafting Championships, which were part of the World Cup Series and planned for November 2020, had to be postponed to 2021. The MRA will continue to focus on developing and building up the sport of rafting in Malaysia and use it to promote their country to the world at large.

Malaysia Rafting Association Links: