The national indoor hockey squads should not take the challenge from Thailand lightly in their mission for a clean sweep of hockey events in the 2017 SEA Games in August, said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.

He said Thailand would be a major threat to both the men and women's national squads in indoor hockey despite Malaysia gaining a better position than Thailand in the Asian Indoor Hockey Championship in Doha, Qatar which ended yesterday.

The women's team emerged runners-up after losing to defending champions Kazakhstan compared to Thailand who were in third place while the men's squad ended their campaign in fifth position as compared Thailand (seventh spot).

"This shows there is a good chance to clinch the SEA Games gold medal even though we will not take Thailand lightly as they have focused on indoor hockey far longer than Malaysia, which only resumed its indoor hockey programme in the last few years.

"We are thinking of ways to ensure we sweep four gold medals in hockey," he told reporters after chairing an MHC executive committee meeting here today.

Subahan said MHC vice-president Datuk Ow Soon Kooi, who is also its coaching committee chairman, and technical director Terry Walsh had been tasked to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, the meeting also decided to hold MHC''s annual general meeting ón May 13.

-- BERNAMA