In a recent announcement from the Team Malaysia Overwatch Twitter page, the team’s General Manager Kenn Leandre has broke the news that the team won’t be participating in the 2019 Overwatch World Cup (OWWC).

Team Malaysia Withdraws from Overwatch World Cup

Read: https://t.co/NjllbeXx8u

— Team Malaysia Overwatch (@malaysiaowwc) October 16, 2019

The primary reason why the team has decide to withdrawn is because they’ve failed to raise the funds required to fly out the team to Anaheim, California. In the announcement, it’s stated that several national companies turned down their requests for funding while the financial assistance requested from the country’s sports governing body was reduced to half of what the team needed and would only be available after the OWWC ended.

The General Manager has also implored the Ministry of Youth and Sports to carry forward the promised funds to prepare Team Malaysia for next year’s tournament, as well as for the growth of the Malaysian Overwatch community.

Earlier on, the team’s alternate jerseys were being sold as one of the ways to raise funds. Rest assured, those who ordered the jerseys will be getting them very soon. Pick-up is scheduled for this Saturday, 19 October at a soon-to-be confirmed location in Petaling Jaya.

You can read the full statement here.

Update: the news has been spreading like wildfire over Twitter (via Rakyat Post).

Team @malaysiaowwc represent Malaysia ke Overwatch WorldCup 2019 withdraw dari pertandingan tersebut kerana tidak cukup dana.

Saya minta jasa baik YB @SyedSaddiq utk tolong menangani issue ini. pic.twitter.com/7M2fqlB9Ci

— Pie'e?? (@shafieisonline) October 16, 2019

So @SyedSaddiq – what were your @KBSMalaysia officers doing?

So no Team Malaysia at the Overwatch World Cup.

Not only because corporates won’t back them, but also because your Ministry has failed them.#YouthPower indeed. https://t.co/MoAMzXmTcQ

— ??? ??? (@iamjoelee) October 16, 2019

10mil under Budget 2019

20mil under Budget 2020

Yet still cant support @malaysiaowwc to this year’s event

So, camana ni @SyedSaddiq

This was supposed to be a litmus test of inclusivity as Overwatch may not be highly visible on your or your army of advisors/officials

— Syefri Zulkefli ?? (@chapree) October 16, 2019

Even minister Syed Saddiq talked about it, even mentioning in public the amount that was going to the team: RM60,000.

Peruntukan RM60,000 ke World Cup telah pun diluluskan. Proses menyalurkan bantuan mengambil sedikit masa kerana ini kali pertama bantuan sebegini wujud. Kami komited membantu komuniti Overwatch.

RM10 juta dikongsi bersama MDEC & KBS hanya menerima peruntukan pada bulan lepas? https://t.co/Dgkk1hm7sw

— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) October 16, 2019