In 1984, the Ministry of Youth and Sports introduced Malaysia CERGAS Programme. The purpose  the programme is to promote the concept of Active Living for all Malaysians. In 1985, the Ministry then initiated the Malaysian Leisure and Recreation Council (also known as MARFIMA) with the view to bringing together the various sports for all, fitness and outdoor recreation bodies under a single coordinating umbrella body in Malaysia. Upon this initiation by the Ministry, MARFIMA registered with, and approved by, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on 17th June 1990.

As a non Olympic umbrella council of 24 affiliates and Sports for All associations, MARFIMA is currently managed and administered by volunteers from across all our affiliates. In addition to supporting the Malaysia CERGAS programme, MARFIMA also serves as a catalyst in helping both the private and public sectors to support the Fit Malaysia and Rakan Muda campaigns – promoted by the Central Government’s Kementerian Belia dan Sukan.

Since receiving approval from the ROS, MARFIMA has also been accepted as an international affiliate to:

• TAFISA - - The Association for International Sport for All (300 members from 120 countries with headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany)
http://www.tafisa.net 

• ASFAA - - Asiana Sport for All Association (80 members from 40 countries with the headquarters in Macau, China)
http://www.asfa.org 

• WLA - - World Leisure Association (540 members from individual organisations and universities with headquarters in Bilbao, Spain)
http://WLA.org 

Our mission is to support the central government’s policies and our affiliates' programmes relevant to Sports for All and, in doing so, develop Active Communities across the nation. To date, MARFIMA is the sole NGO registered in Malaysia undertaking coordinating and consulting roles in support of the Ministry of Youth and Sport and local government initiatives on all matters and activities related to sport for all, active living, leisure and recreation.