Tuanku Mizan launches encyclopedia

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin recently launched Editions Didier Millet's Sports and Recreation Encyclopedia, aptly at the Stadium Negara, which bore witness to, among other successes, the historic Thomas Cup victory in 1992, Prakash Padukone's demolition of Han Jian and the sepak takraw MAS-Utusan-World Cup.



This is the cover of the encyclopedia. The volume editor is Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid. It is Volume 15 of the Encyclopedia of Malaysia series, a national project which is the largest reference work on Malaysia ever undertaken. Volume 1 - The Environment, Volume 2 - Plants, Volume 3 - Animals, Volume 4 - Early History, Volume 5 - Architecture, Volume 6 - The Seas, Volume 7 - Early Modern History, Volume 8 - Performing Arts, Volume 9 - Languages and Literature, Volume 10 - Religions and Beliefs, Volume 11 - Government and Politics, Volume 12 - Peoples and Traditions, Volume 13 - The Economy, Volume 14 - Crafts and the Visual Arts and the sports volume. The final volume in the series is The Malay Sultanates.

I'm proud to be associated with the prestigious project. Notice that anaesthesiologist and former cricketer Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Alex Delilkan and former New Straits Times and Malay Mail journo and ex-national fencer, Gerald Martinez, are the other two editorial consultants.

The editorial team... credit to them for having produced a must-have book. Part and parcel of their job is to identify and commission the contributors. Among the contributors are Arnaz M. Khairul and K.M. Boopathy (New Straits Times), D. Raj (the Star), Terrence Netto, Heidi Munan, the late Percy Seneviratne and of course Ian Augustine Pereira, my esteemed ex-colleague at the Malay Mail. A renowned writer with a keen eye for detail and statistics, Ian is sadly being used mainly to write obituaries these days.

A member of the Sports and Recreation committee, Dr Jega appears to be happy standing where he is, whereas Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia president, Datuk Abdul Razak Latiff

(right), seems to be running away from the former speed merchant. Datuk Razak who has pumped his own money to finance part of LTAM's activities, is hotly tipped to replace Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis as the Equestrian Association of Malaysia president. He's one well-connected businessman.

(From left) three otais from hockey, Datuk R. Yogeswaran, N Sri Shanmuganathan and Datuk Poon Fook Loke seated at the same table. By now they must be discussing the allegations contained in a series of poison-pen letters widely circulated among the fraternity.



One of the editors is American-born William Citrin (left) who without doubt had painstakingly and patiently scrutinised every single word of the manuscript.



Lady power...Prof Datuk Dr Asmah Omar (second from left), Datuk Sharifah Mazlina Abdul Kadir (third from left) and Puan Azah Aziz (right). Prof Asmah and Puan Azah are members of the Editorial Advisory Board chaired by Tun Ahmad Sarji. Prof Asmah is also the Volume Editor of Volume 9, Languages and Literature.

The Sports and Recreation Committee was headed by Tun Ahmad Sarji and its members were Prof Dr Ghulam Sarwar Yousof, Prof Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Datuk Dr M. Jegathesan, Mr Lazarus Rokk (hmm, his name sounds familiar), former National Sports Council director-general Datuk Noh Abdullah, P.C. Shivadas and Tan Sri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Noordin.

Patron of the Encyclopedia of Malaysia project is of course Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was a writer long before he became a doctor.