Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu called on Malaysians to continue to support and pray for the country's athletes in their mission to bring home the gold medals in the Hanoi SEA Games in Vietnam.

He said the national athletes, who are taking on the challenge in the biennial sports, being held from May 12 to 23, continued to display a high fighting spirit and giving their best performance to achieve the gold medal target.

"So far, the national contingent has met the set target and we have even won several medals from new athletes, especially in diving, which is very impressive.

"I hope, in the coming days, all national athletes will be free from injuries and we will achieve the target of 36 gold medals," he told Bernama here today.

The 31st SEA Games, with the theme "For a Stronger Southeast Asia" officially opened its curtains in Hanoi last night

Malaysia is targeting 36 gold, 35 silver and 75 bronze, which is said to be very low compared to the number of athletes sent to Hanoi, while more than half of the sports competed are Olympic events.

On Malaysia being chosen as the host of the 2027 SEA Games, Ahmad Faizal said the government would discuss the matter with the Malaysian Olympic Council to ensure the smooth organisation of the event.

He said Malaysia, which had been given the responsibility to host the Games six times, had not made any decision on its selection host the 34th edition of the SEA Games.

Malaysia had previously hosted the SEA Games in 1965, 1971, 1977, 1989, 2001 and 2017.

-- BERNAMA