ABSTRACT
After the British occupied the Malay Peninsula in 1876, they introduced sport clubs and Western sport like cricket, football, athletics and tennis, to play among themselves. The Eurasian, Chinese, Malay and Indian communities later formed their own clubs to play the Western sport. By the twentieth century, there were various sport associations organising domestic and interstate team competitions. The Japanese occupation (1942–45) caused a temporary halt, but activity resumed after 1946. New cricket, table tennis and basketball associations were established. The Federation of Malaya Olympic Council was established in 1953, and Malaya took part in the Asian Games in 1954. Malaya became independent in 1957, and its athletes took part in the 1958 Asian Games, the 1959 SEAP Games and the 1960 Olympic Games. In 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was formed. By 1965, Malaysia had developed the various sport associations needed to host the 1965 multisport SEAP Games for the first time.
