Perginya bapa kepada legenda

Takziah kepada keluarga Dahari Abeng, bapa kepada legenda bola sepak negara, Allahyarham Mokhtar Dahari. Dahari meninggal dunia pagi tadi. Alamatnya No 2, Jalan AU2C/6, Taman Keramat. Al-Fatihah.

Dropping names...

Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) president Ahmad Khawari Isa has an interesting piece in his blog, reproduced below:

This is something that's been happening for quite some times, but got worse lately.

I dont know what will happen by this posting, but my conscience will not be clear if I didnt do anything about it.

This, too, might lead to me being in the 'hot soup'. But then again, I dont have anything to gain, neither do I have any personal agenda to achieve, by blogging about it.

I am just an observer of Malaysian sports, who dont like what's happening now.

This is about one person who either wields 'genuine' power, or likes to give such an impression to many sports officials in the country.

This person likes to drop names - 'VIP' names - whenever this person sees fit. Top people in the country like Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah and Sports Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek - is fair game to this person.

What does this person do?

From what I gathered, this person has recently enquired about the financial standing of two sports bodies. And also try to meddle into one controversy which hogged the limelight, recently.

The very latest? This person called up one sports association - which will play host to one major tournament early next month - to enquire on why one particular sponsor is not being given 'prominence'.

I must ask, what is the motive of this person? Is this person, in any way, has link to the sponsor? Does this person know what kind of agreement that already in place? Why must this person try to throw the weight around? Trying to create fear into 'small people' in the association?

And yes, the VIP names were thrown into the mix, again!

My question - Does this VIPs. important people like our PM and his wife, really will give up their valuable time just to meddle in such affairs? I dont think so. And I truly believe they also will not like their names being tossed around like that!

Our PM motto is 'people first, performance now.' I am a believer of that, too.

But from what is happening now, maybe this person's motto is 'Personal agenda first, use the VIP names now!'.

I do hope this person will be checked and put into the right place.
Posted by Ahmad Khawari Isa at 8:38 AM

3 comments:
rizal hashim said...
Are you referring to a former national sprinter, Khawari? Say yes or no...

April JALAN REBUNG said...
salam bro,

dah tak larat la nak komen pasal mende ni , dah memang lumrah la kot bila ada orang yang buat keje betul-betul dan ada orang yang nak ambil kesempatan untuk gain personal achievement ...

mungkin sebab dalam senario sekarang sukan dah boleh dianggap satu benda yang boleh mendatangkan keuntungan berbeza dengan zaman dulu bila sukan lebih kepada semangat untuk mewakili negara bukan duit ...

susah kita nak buang benda-benda macam ni ...selagi sukan dianggap lubuk nak buat duit selagi itu la akan ada 'hantu-hantu' yang macam ni ...

untuk kita yang jujur dalam support sukan kat negara ni ..teruskan ..jangan terpengaruh dengan masalah-masalah macam ni ..

April 27, 2010 11:18 AM
Anonymous said...
Dear En. Khawari,

This problem doesnt just rest on those who are out of sports body but are those who are within sports bodies themselves...who are elected into National bodies and are trying to muscle more out from the states and asking for a bigger pie from states failing which these ppl will get back at them in ways that can hurt their coffers or get such VVIPs to back them.

Well it's not something new...if these ppl are so used in getting their ways without any reprimand from those whose names are being used or thrown around!

April 27, 2010 1:11 PM
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Azizul's night

The night belonged to Azizulhasni Awang as the National Sportsman of the Year title was bestowed upon him at the Mandarin Oriental. Good tidings await the pocket rocketman as Sime Darby has agreed to provide him a scholarship for his tertiary education in Australia. Now, Azizul, or Jojo to his friends, will be pressured to deliver. Conspicuous by his absence, though he was nominated, was Datuk Lee Chong Wei. Too tired perhaps...but the rest of the badminton nominees were there.

Azizul promises to deliver the nation's first gold medal at the Olympics

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin

The pocket rocketman gives loose cannon the thumbs up

BAM president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh under the glare of the spotlight

Datuk Rahim Dahalan, or better known as Rahim King, with loose cannon, were among those trapped in the dressing room shortly after the Thomas Cup final in Jakarta in 1994

Sultan Ahmad Shah makes a rare appearance at the awards

Hafizal Hamad preparing for the live crossover on TV1

Jo and Yuz armed and ready for loose cannon's onslaught

The SEA Games gold medal-winning national football team on stage

Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak and Farizal Marlias

Azmi Muslim, Amar Rohidan, S. Kunanlan and Safiq Rahim

The Bernama report

Azizulhasni, Nicol Named 2009 National Sportsman, Sportswoman

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- Cyclist Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and squash queen Datuk Nicol Ann David were named the 2009 National Sportsman and Sportswoman respectively.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin presented the main awards and a RM10,000 incentive each to the two winners at the 2009 National Sports Awards here Tuesday night.

Nicol, who won the award for the seventh time, was not present as she is still training in Amsterdam.

The award is the first for Azizulhasni, 22, the track cyclist based in Melbourne, Australia, who ranked first in last season's World Cup Series and also ranked first in the Keirin until March last year.

The Terengganu-born cyclist, who is coached by John Beasley of Australia, showed consistent performance last year by winning the silver in the Keirin event at the World Championship in Poland in March before winning the gold in the same event at the World Championship in Beijing in April.

In November, he won the silver in the Keirin at the World Championship in Melbourne.

His string of successes enabled him to triumph over other candidates for the award namely the incumbent Datuk Lee Chong Wei from badminton, Sazali Abdul Samad (body building), Loh Jack Chang (wushu) and Zulmazran Zulkifli (tenpin bowling).

Nicol, 27, dominated the award with her status as the world number one squash player since August 2006.

The Penang lass also won the same award in 1999 and 2003.

Throughout last year, Nicol won six championships and emerged the runner-up in two others.

Nicol started the 2009 campaign by finishing as the runner-up in the Kuala Lumpur Open (March) and in the Caymen Islands Open (May) and winning the Texas Open (May), Seoul Open (June), Malaysia Open (July), Singapore Masters (August), Amsterdam Open (September) and Hong Kong Open (October).

The other candidates for the award are Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hui (badminton), Siow Yi Ting (swimming) and Noraseela Khalid (athletics).

The national football team, who ended a 20-year gold medal drought in football in the SEA Games in Laos in December, was named the National Men's Team.

List of award winners at the National Sports Award 2009:

National Sportsman: Mohd Azizulhasni Awang (Cycling)

National Sportswoman: Datuk Nicol Ann David (Squash)

National Men's Team: SEA Games Football Team (Ahmad Fakri Shaarani, Amar Rohidan, Mazlizam Mohamad, Mohd Farizal Marlias, Mohd Baddrol Bakhtiar, Mohd Sabre Mat Abu, Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal, Mohd Asrarruddin Putra, Mohd Nasriq Baharom, S.Kunalan, Mohamad Aidil Zafuan Abd Razak, Mohamad Zakuan Adha Abd Razak, Abdul Manaf Mamat, Mohd Sharbinee Allawee Ramli, K.Gurusamy, Mahalli Jasuli, Mohamad Muslim Ahmad, Mohamad Azmi Muslim Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and Safiq Rahim).

National Women's Team: Leong Mun Yee, Pandelela Rinong (Diving)

National Paralympic Sportsman: Mohamad Salam Sidik (Archery)

National Paralympic Sportswoman: Norhayati Sarnoh (Lawn Bowl)

National Men's Coach: K.Rajagobal (Football), Yoong Thong Foong (Wushu)

National Women's Coach: No winner

National Leadership Award: The late Edmund Yong (Golf)

Sports Figure: No winner

Special Award: Dr T. Ponniyah (Karate)

-- BERNAMA

Kafe Sukan Ep 5

Banished into a corner...

Akbar listens intently to NSC director-general Datuk Zolkples' explanation on Guangzhou Asian Games and the New Delhi Commonwealth Games

Akbar discussing indiscipline, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games with national hockey coach, Stephen Van Huizen and two stalwarts, Amin Rahim and Tengku Tajuddin Abdul Jalil

Less trumpet blowing

New Straits Times writer Arnaz M. Khairul calls for less trumpet blowing when it comes to the cycling track team. He is spot on.

Read More Azizuls, less trumpet blowing.

At the pleasure of the president

BA of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh returned from Germany on Thursday, insisting that he was forced to act...

Read the New Straits Times report here, The Star and Berita Harian.

PM Najib on football

Rahim Ahmad, the first ever Malayan to scoop a medal in the track and field of a multi-sports fest, shows the Asian Games bronze medal to coach, Tom Rosandich, now the US Sports Academy president and CEO, and Mobarak Sher Ahmad, Ishtiaq's father. From Rahim's album

Tom Rosandich. A name that is inextricably linked to Malaysian sports, in particular the track and field. He's president and CEO of the US Sports Academy that played host to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak recently.

Najib touches on Malaysian football and the World Cup in an interview with TV commentator-cum-lecturer Evan Weiner in The Examiner, while USSA and the Rosandichs were happy to play host to the PM and wife in New York here and here.

Penyokong atau pembunuh?

Al-Fatihah buat Pak Omar yang berasal dari Palong. Arwah menyokong hingga ke hujung nyawa. Meninggal dunia akibat serangan jantung dek mercun ketika perlawanan Liga Super di antara Negeri Sembilan dan Kelantan. Takziah kepada keluarganya. Bagi semua penyokong bola sepak Malaysia, usahlah bawa mercun ke stadium. Hormatilah orang lain yang mahu menikmati dan menonton bola sepak. Bagus juga jika anda tidak merokok. Hormatilah orang sebelah anda yang bawa keluarga dan anak kecil. Dalam pada itu, kelab penyokong NS9 menyediakan tabung derma buat keluarga Arwah.

Memetik kata orang kuat RTM, Wan Alimi Mahmood, dalam dinding facebook penerbit Sukan@1, Effa Dian Ali: "Pembakar/pembaling mercun tu... dgn siapa dia nak minta maaf... akibat perbuatannya, satu nyawa melayang... meskipun ajal maut perkiraan Allah... tapi kita yg hiduplah penyebabnya... mereka yg terlibat dgn pembakaran mercun ni... tidak keterlaluan kita anggap sebagai "PEMBUNUH" dlm kes ini... Takziah untuk keluarga Allahyarham"

Gearing up for rally

The Flying Sikh is eyeing his 11th title in the Malaysian Rally.

Read here. Less than a year ago, loose cannon urged everyone to rally behind the flying sikh

Harris latih media

PASUKAN Kelab Sepak Takraw Media Malaysia (Keris) yang berbaju oren dan MAS bergambar beramai-ramai bersama bekas jurulatih negara, Haris Abdul Rahman (berdiri kiri sekali) sebelum perlawanan persahabatan di Gimnasium 2 MSN, Bukit Jalil, kelmarin.

SIARAN AKHBAR
Bekas jurulatih negara ‘latih’ Media

KUALA LUMPUR -- Haris Abdul Rahman yang ditamatkan khidmatnya sesudah Sukan SEA Laos 2009, masih berminat dengan sepak takraw malah sedia memberikan bimbingan sukarela kepada mana-mana pihak termasuk Kelab Sepak Takraw Media Malaysia (Keris).

Kelmarin, jurulatih juara Piala Raja Thai 1988, Sukan SEA 1991 dan Sukan Asia 1990-94 itu meluangkan masa lebih dua jam memantau perlawanan persahabatan kelab yang dianggotai kakitangan akhbar, majalah dan TV itu dengan petugas Malaysian Airlines (MAS) di Bukit Jalil.

“Saya kini masih menimbangkan tawaran sebuah syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) dan sementara itu saya tiada masalah untuk datang menunjuk ajar setakat apa yang saya ada demi sukan sepak takraw termasuk kepada media.

“Anda (media) mempunyai beberapa pemain yang berbakat menurut tahap tertentu tetapi boleh digilap dan dipertingkat dengan teknik latihan yang betul dan berkesan,” katanya selepas perlawanan berformat berpasukan yang berkesudahan MAS menang 3-2 itu.

Keris dibarisi dua kakitangan TV3, Mohd. Harris Hazri Abdul Halim dan Hairi Zulhairi; penulis tamu Bikerz Magazine, Azmi Mansor, Wan Mohd. Noraffandi W. Mohd. Ghazali (Jabatan Penyiaran) dan Daud Abdullah yang pernah mewakili RTM dalam Kejohanan Sedunia MAS-Utusan Malaysia-RTM 1990.

Turut diundang ialah pemain berpengalaman beberapa kejohanan kecil tempatan dengan mewakili kelab dan majikan mereka seperti Mohd. Zubir Muhamad Shari, Basri Sulaiman, Mohd. Nurazhar Amdah dan Mohd. Zaki Othman.

MAS pula diperkuatkan bekas tekong dan ketua pasukan skuad elit Malaysia, Ahmad Farhan Hilmi Mohd. yang baru menyertai syarikat penerbangan nasional itu sejurus selepas menamatkan pengajiannya di Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Haris yang pernah dicalonkan Persatuan Sepak Takraw Malaysia (PSM) untuk melatih India selepas temasya di Laos tetapi menolaknya, berkata, “saya masih mengikuti perkembangan skuad elit menerusi media. Bagus pencapaian mereka apabila menang dua gelaran sekarang.”

Skuad elit yang kini dibimbing Iskandar Arshad, menjuarai Kejohanan Kho Noi Satun (9 April lalu) dan Kejohanan Antarabangsa Hoengseong, Isnin lalu sejak dibentuk semula pada pertengahan Februari lalu hasil penilaian menerusi Kejohanan Piala Presiden PSM di Bukit Jalil.

Antara anak buah Haris yang masih bertahan dalam skuad elit sejak 2007 selepas Sukan SEA ialah Norshahruddin Mad Ghani, Mohd. Hafizie Manap, Farhan Adam, Syazwan Husin, Mohamad Fazil Asri dan Syafiq Ab. Rahman.

Sementara itu Keris turut menjadikan aksi kelmarin sebagai persediaan menghadapi kejohanan kecil terbuka seperti di Dusun Tua, Kuala Langat (1 Mei), Terbuka Hari Belia 1Malaysia di Salak Tinggi (8-9 Mei) dan Kluster Sukan Massa Hari Belia Negara (15-16 Mei).

Sebelum ini Keris menimba pengalaman beraksi pada Kejohanan Dunia Piala Malaysia, Kejohanan Dunia Piala Raja Thai di Bangkok (pertunjukan dan persahabatan), Libas Keris-PSM, Libas Memori, Piala Yang Dipertua MPSJ, Terbuka UPM, Cabaran Rejam Kuala Selangor dan Libas Kajang selain Piala Presiden PSM, Februari lalu.

Keris turut menguruskan sebuah regu wanita, Media-Rejam yang mencipta kejutan dengan bergelar naib juara kategori wanita Kejohanan Kebangsaan Piala Emas Khir Johari Ke-47 di Bukit Jalil setelah ditewaskan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia 2-0 pada 22 Mac lalu.

Mari berentap di Putrajaya

Futsal, bola sepak dalam dewan, bola sepak pantai, bola sepak dalam apa bentuk sekalipun sentiasa dinikmati sama ada oleh penggiatnya mahupun pencinta bola sepak 11 sebelah. Bagi belia dan beliawanis serta murid sekolah, ayuh berentap di Putrajaya 14-16 Mei ini. Hadiah hampir RM70,000 disediakan. Dilaporkan antara acara menarik pasukan Jemaah Menteri melawan barisan selebriti.

EPLx Kosmo!

A personal fiefdom?

Gunner Cesc Fabregas, artist Salvador Dali and former International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Juan Antonio Samaranch who died yesterday...have one thing in common. They are/were Catalans...

Anyway Samaranch left behind a mixed legacy. His critics say Samaranch made the IOC his personal fiefdom. Others suggest the Catalan rejuvenated the Olympic Games.

Read Andrew Jennings' take here. I wonder if any personality in Malaysia has the cheek/audacity/temerity to make any sporting organisation his or her personal fiefdom...

Looking at recent developments, perhaps there is...

66 days to go...

...before the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur International Marathon 2010, themed Run As One, is flagged off. For marathoners and running enthusiasts, June 27 is a rendezvous with destiny. OK, OK, so the 2009 edition was marked by controversies but there is no other way but up, I guess. For details, click http://www.kl-marathon.com/

I've never run a marathon...my most intense and lactic acid-induced race took place perhaps during my primary schooldays...perhaps one day I might pluck up the courage to participate, provided I lose the flab...

Anyway, the marathon appeals to a lot of people. So far 10,000 have registered for the event, among them runfool, deo-runner, zuraidizainol and the team called derkeenrunner as well as UK-based Jacqueline Kueh

Barca v Bayern finale in Madrid?

Talking points are aplenty when footy is the topic. Loose cannon had plenty to say but since time was limited, he concluded Lyon and Bayern Munich would go through to the semis while Barca would beat Inter in the European Cup semis. This was discussed on Astro Awani's Sudut Pandang, hosted by Liverpool fan (pity him) Kamarul Baharin Haron, two weeks ago.

Loose cannon prefers to call it the Cup since it has reached the knockout stages. Why Bayern at the expense of Lyon? Perhaps due to the German's European pedigree.

It will be a tussle between the Lyon attack of Lisandro Lopez (if he recovers) and the clumsy Bayern backfour with Daniel van Buyten and Martin Demichelis in the centre as well as Ivica Olic/Mario Gomez/Miroslav Klose/Franck Ribery/Arjen Robben/Bastian Schweinsteiger versus Hugo Lloris between the Lyon net.

Mark van Bommel in the centre, Ribery and Robben on the flanks, too hard for Jeremy Toulalan, Jean Makoun and Kim Kallstrom to cope over two legs.

Barca? Hmm...if Xavi and Andres Iniesta are able to supply those penetrative passes, Krkic, Pedro, Ibra, Titi and of course Messi would wreak havoc on the central partnership of Walter Samuel-Lucio.

Carles Puyol and Co versus Milito and Eto'o? The Catalans to go through!

Two Liverpool fans - Kamarul and Fadzrie Hazis - with loose cannon

Taking a break from discussing serious issues is good for the system, Kam...

Berbakti

Macam aje AC Milan (Asrama Dr Latiff)

Serba boleh rupa-rupanya diaorang ni...

"Betul ke ketinggian gol 6 kaki lebih", ni tengah nak ukur la ni

Aku dari segi belajar memang tak pandai. Lebih banyak merah daripada biru. Dulu orang tua aku hantarlah tuisyen di Asrama Dr Latiff dekat Jalan Gurney (sekarang dah jadi elevated highway). Budak-budak situ hebat belaka, bak kata blogger kajang-today (yang perasan dia rpk), the cream of the crop/creme de la creme dari Selangor. Kini ada yang jadi doktor, businessman, banker, arkitek...sekarang ni, diaorang nak menyumbang kembali kepada masyarakat. Satu cara, sukan.

Menyahut saranan 1murid, 1sukan, bapak-bapak budak ni taja jaring/gawang gol sebagai permulaan. Atas nama memperbaiki kemudahan sukan. Mereka anjur perlawanan di antara Asrama Dr Latiff Old Boys dan Asrama Tun Dr Ismail Old Boys, kedua-duanya bernaung di bawah Yayasan Selangor. Baguslah, ini dinamakan budaya bermain/bersukan.

Zol v Karim

In the New Straits Times yesterday.

MALAYSIAN Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU) deputy president Karim Ibrahim may have burnt his bridges with the National Sports Council (NSC) after being declared persona non grata by Datuk Zolkples Embong.

Zolkples, the NSC director-general, has had enough of Karim's antics and has written to MAAU president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim requesting the appointment of another official to act as a go-between with NSC.

Tension between the two well-spoken officials had been simmering for a while and finally boiled over in the last two weeks over the inspection of a newly laid training track at Bukit Jalil.

"I have had it wasting my time dealing with the antics of this particular official. I am the only person capable of reaching a compromise with him and deal with him.

"But I don't have the time to deal with this anymore so I have written to Datuk Seri Shahidan to name another official to liaise with NSC.

"Apparently he was reported as calling for me to resign, so if that is the case it means he does not accept my position as director- general of NSC and therefore cannot deal with NSC," said Zolkples, who never once mentioned Karim by name when speaking to RTM's Sukan @ 1 programme yesterday.

Zolkples and Karim clashed recently after the latter allegedly prevented national athletics chief coach Harun Rasheed, a salaried employee of NSC, from accepting Zolkples' invitation to inspect the relaid training track.

A war of words erupted through various media outlets, leading to an irrevocable breakdown in the relationship between the two officials.

"My main concern is that the athletes don't suffer because of this. Athletes should be given the highest priority in anything we do.

"Without the athletes there would be no sports association or NSC. I am not interested in getting involved in the affairs of sports associations, as long as athletes' training and preparation are not affected," said Zolkples.

Zolkples also questioned MAAU's sincerity where the welfare of athletes is concerned and claiming credit for the efforts of others.

"When (hurdler) Noraseela Khalid was injured, they never once bothered about her. We took care of her injury, recovery and training.

"And when she won silver at the Asian Championships (last year), suddenly they were everywhere claiming they helped her do it," said an exasperated Zolkples.

Kasihan pengadil...

Lanskap dunia sudah berubah. Kalau dulu, ada perkara tertentu yang kita buat tidak dipantau atau diperhalusi. Teknologi mengubah itu semua. Kesilapan diperbesarkan dan lazimnya yang betul tidak pula dipuji. Itulah tabii dan tabiat manusia.

Jadi pengadil bola sepak tempatan, awas. Setiap keputusan anda - sama ada betul, wajar, salah atau tidak - diawasi setiap detik dan ketika.

Dua gambar ini aku cilok daripada group facebook hijaukuning.com. Sudah tentu kebanyakannya mengutuk penolong pengadil yang juga bekas penjaga gol Perlis, Zulfikar Abdullah, yang menghukum Faizal Abu Bakar sebagai ofsaid pada penghujung perlawanan final Piala FA yang dimenangi Negeri Sembilan menerusi sepakan penalti.

Kulihat Subkhiddin Salleh cuba memberi penjelasan serba sedikit. Harap dijadikan iktibar. Bagi peminat bola sepak tanpa mengira penyokong mana-mana pasukan, harap bersabar dan terima ini semua sebagai asam garam dunia sukan.

What's the story in BAM?

Updated Monday 19 April 2010, 5.0pm

Please read http://ahmadkhawari.blogspot.com and its comment section! or click here.

Is it true the manner a sports marketing firm was appointed as the exclusive agency to source for sponsorship on behalf of the BA of Malaysia (BAM) is central to the quagmire the national association is in?

Several questions need to be addressed, among them:

Who appointed the company to act as the exclusive sponsorship consultant for BAM? The BAM president, the BAM exco or certain individuals?

Is the company appointed Enterprise Sports Group or ESG, a Singaporean company founded by former rugby skipper and law graduate, Terence Khoo?

Was the appointment made with or without the knowledge of BAM president, Datuk Nadzmi Salleh?

Is it true there remains an attempt to unseat Nadzmi through a vote of no confidence by a number of State BAs?

Was it true an individual had signed himself off in a correspondence as the BAM acting president when the position does not exist in the BAM constitution?

What is the role of Jalani Sidek, the driving force behind Nusa Mahsuri's formation in 1994 after the never-ending feud with BAM?

Is it true YAKEB chairman, Datuk Paduka Dr Mumtaz Begum Abdul Jaffar, visited BAM's office and demanded to see its accounts?

Is it true a tall and lanky ex-national volleyball player linked to the Sports Minister's office has been identified to co-ordinate BAM's road to 2012 program?

Perhaps Malay Mail's Haresh Deol and the Sun's Citizen Nades and Terence Fernandez may be able to dig deeper into this. Loose cannon will be disappointed if they don't.

Mini-reunion for the Malay Mail sports desk

From left, Tony Mariadass, Graig Nunis, loose cannon, Ian Pereira (standing), Satwant Singh, Haresh Deol, Johnson Fernandez, Ghaz Ramli, Y.S. Segaran and Christopher Raj

Dinner sponsored by former national hockey captain Ow Soon Kooi (right) who is also chairman of Olympic Sports Hotel

Tonym and the shy Satwant

There was a mini reunion for the Malay Mail sports desk recently, where potshots, broadsides and banters were exchanged. A bigger one should be held. Soon.

Kafe Sukan Ep 3

loose cannon, Akbar Sahari, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad, Tony Mariadass dan Abu Bakar Atan

Akbar, Abu Bakar, Zainal Abidin Rawop dan Tonym

Datuk Azzuddin menjelaskan elaun pengadil yang sudah dibayar setakat 31 Januari

Vaithilingam v Mazlan

http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/new-straits-times/mi_8016/is_20100412/1student-1sport-policy/ai_n53113892/pg_2/?tag=content;col1

Article written by Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad.

1Student 1Sport. To be precise, one student participating in at least one sport. The spirit behind this policy is not new. It was there lying among numerous policy documents in the Ministry of Education. So it is wrong to say Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as the new education minister, had introduced a new policy to be implemented at schools above so many other policies that come together with every new minister.

1Student 1Sport is a policy restating the fact that sport should be implemented in schools as it should be. As we know sports was unconsciously put aside as a result of over emphasis in academic achievement. Don't get me wrong. Every parent wants their children to garner as many A's as possible in their examination in order to obtain a scholarship or to pursue tertiary education of their preferred choice.

That's fine. But to rob the classes of physical education and replace them with other examination subject is neither fair nor justified, especially in the early part of the year. It is also equally wrong if PE classes are shared with the intention of lessening the burden among teachers.

I was fortunate to be privy to a cabinet committee report on education published in 1979. Among its recommendation was to encourage the sport activities in school, district, state and national levels to enhance unity among students of various races.

The report also observed that not all students in schools participated in sport and schools did not organise sports activities that encourage or allow bigger participation. This report was written 30 years ago. Can we see much difference now?

Participation in Malaysian Games (SUKMA) based on ethnicity did not reflect the wish of the report. Malay athletes represent 59.02 percent (2004), 62.85 percent (2006) and 64.60 percent (2008). Chinese athletes represent 29.54 percent (2004), 24.96 (2006) and 21.99 (2008). Indian athletes represent 6.46 percent (2004), 5.50 (2006) and 7.54 (2008) while others represent 4.98 (2004), 6.69 (2006) and 5.83 (2008). Unfortunately, I have no figures for school athletes competing in national MSSM competitions.

The announcement of 1Student 1Sport by the education minister early this year, to me, is to implement the recommendation of the said report albeit, 30 years later. Logically implementing the recommendation of a 30-year-old report should or can be done immediately. The report recommended sports activities in schools be enhanced. Unfortunately, during the last 30 years many school fields fell victim to the construction of new buildings or computer labs or new classrooms.

This was obvious in cities like Kuala Lumpur as reported by the New Straits Times on April 4, 2010. I don't know why schools did not organise sports activities as recommended by the report, but now I know. An initial survey conducted by the sports division of the ministry of education found that over 80 percent of the schools were prepared to carry out this policy. The remaining 20 were not ready because of lack of sports facilities or trained teachers or both.

Can we say this 1Student 1Sport policy was drawn without detailed studies? You can say so, but how much study do we need to implement a policy which was already part of the overall education policy? Let's say over 80 percent of the schools are ready to implement it next year. Do we have to bother ourselves with the remaining 20 percent? Logically, we should go ahead with the 80 percent and deal with the remaining 20 separately at the same time.

There are 10,000 schools which cater to 5.4 million students in this country. Why deprive 8,000 schools and 4.3 million students who can participate in at least one sport throughout their schooling life, if not more, while addressing the problem of the remaining ones.

Maybe not many of these students aspire to be Olympians but only to participate and to have an intimate knowledge of the sport or the game contributes to the culture of sports. Everybody likes to play football even though some of them do not possess the skill to do so. Participation in games will give them a lot of experience as opposed to sitting idle or playing computer games.

To me the biggest challenge in implementing the 1Student 1Sport policy is not the lack of facilities but to change the mindset of people involved - teachers, principals, headmasters, education officials at district and state education offices. Above all it's the mindset of parents who believe time taken by the children on the field is wasted and will jeopardise their tuition classes.

We cannot stop parents from sending their children for tuition nor can we stop teachers from teaching tuition classes. We cannot force school bus drivers to extend their time to accommodate students who partake in sport after school hours. We cannot build playing fields or indoor halls overnight, neither can we convert all schools into single session schools overnight. So, 1Student 1Sport must be implemented within these constraints. Gradually, problems will be solved and every healthy student should be able to participate in at least one sport.

Ideally this policy should have started in 1980 - one year after the report was published in 1979. It did not happen that way. Nevertheless it will begin in 2011 - 31 years later.

We need this 1Student 1Sport policy. Or must we wait for another cabinet committee report 30 years from today before we take affirmative action?

Letter written by Datuk A. Vaithilingam

One student one sport: Study ways to carry out scheme effectively

2010/04/07

DATUK A. VAITHILINGAM, Kuala Lumpur
letters@nst.com

WITH reference to the report "School sports rot" (New Sunday Times, April 4), I am not in the least surprised at the findings of your journalists.

One only has to take a drive around the schools and if ever there is a field, we will find that it is not used in the morning, afternoon or evening.

Occasionally, a teacher is found standing in a corner while students are made to run around.

In some large schools, there may be four to five classes scheduled for Physical Education in their timetable at a particular time, but you will hardly find anyone on the field.

Few schools have halls with facilities for indoor sports, but even these are normally locked for security reasons!

Your journalists have exposed the reason why the country is lacking in sports talents. This is due to the neglect of the schools and authorities in providing opportunities to the students to nurture their talents.

The recent announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in his capacity as education minister, that there would be a minimum allocation of between 60 and 90 minutes for sports during school hours from next year is a good proposal but it is riddled with obstacles all the way.

On paper, the suggestion seems easy to implement. But, as a former Malaysian Schools Sports Council official, I know there are many factors to be considered.

They include the attitude of both parents and teachers; the desire for academic achievements over and above sporting excellence; the lack of sporting competition within schools to enable sports selectors to tap new talent; the role of the media in highlighting sporting events at schools and successful sporting students; logistical problems and so on.

Normally, parents will have fewer complaints about activities held within school hours. As it is, the school timetable these days is packed, with different lessons to be completed in 30 minutes each.

Therefore, it is necessary for the prime minister to set up a special committee presided by the education minister. This committee must be tasked with carrying out a thorough study of the problem and developing effective and workable ways to implement the proposed "One Student One Sport" scheme.

There should be a long-term project to convert all schools to one-session schools with longer hours, probably from 8am to 3pm so that more time can be allocated for effective teaching of not just academic subjects but sporting activities as well.

The next Malaysia Plan should make sufficient provisions for upgrading of facilities, including equipment, and providing trained teachers and coaches in every single school.

MSN kena perli

Bekas ketua pengarah Majlis Sukan Negara Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad sindir agensi kerajaan itu agaknya apabila mencadangkan agar temasya Mini-Olimpik dimansuhkan dalam kolumnya di Utusan Malaysia...juga MSN jangan dilihat mengambil alih peranan persatuan kebangsaan...

Jawapan Datuk Zol Embong, ketua pengarah MSN:

"Dalam mesyuarat lembaga MSN baru-baru ini, memang kita ada timbulkan yang kita tak mahu ambil alih tugas persatuan sukan kebangsaan. Tunku Imran cadangkan supaya syarat untuk semua sukan dimasukkan dalam Sukan Malaysia, mereka mestilah menganjurkan sekurang-kurangnya satu kejohanan kebangsaan dan satu kejohanan remaja setiap tahun."

Nadzmi v Ganga

Backpage of the Malay Mail July 14, 1997, with loose cannon quoting Morten Frost Hansen, then the chief coach

Ganga Rao offered loose cannon a job at BWF in 2007

Nadzmi's actuarial science background and management skills did not prepare him for the politics and dynamics of BAM

In 1998, I decided to give up on badminton. Too much politics. It was a big task coming up with fair reporting. If I wrote A for Camp A, Camp B would complain. And vice-versa. I was not in the business of pleasing people. Solution - withdraw from the beat. Tony Yee then took over the reporting beat.

Then in 2007, P. Ganga Rao offered me a job at the Badminton World Federation (BWF). He was then the general manager. Having offended a lot of people, including the top NSTP management who felt the Mole column was out of line and that loose cannon should not hide behind a pseudonym, it was perhaps the right time to leave. But I sought the advice of a lot of people who were against the idea of my joining Ganga. Months later Ganga was caught in a web of intrigue and was eventually removed as the BWF GM.

Now Ganga is again in the news, for the wrong reasons. He has been removed as the BAM secretary.

NSC director general Datuk Zolkples Embong was quoted as saying the timing was questionable for the Thomas Cup is just around the corner but to me, a system is already in place and it's a matter of putting the finishing touches and getting things organised. Since Ganga is not a technical man, his sacking would not have an adverse effect on the team, who after all, are not expected to win the Thomas Cup.

My question is a matter of procedure. Even if Nadzmi is empowered to remove any official in the set-up, was Ganga given the right to be heard? Technically Ganga may be tempted to seek legal redress.

But then again, would Ganga resort to such action and risk washing dirty linen in public?

To Ganga, all the best. You can now focus on organising a successful Malaysian Open tennis ATP Tour in September with Datuk Seri Paduka Dr Mumtaz Begum Abdul Jaffar, chairman of YAKEB.

Mumtaz, the nation's former 100m runner, is a confidante of Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is also BAM and YAKEB patron.

Oh, this time Ganga, I don't think you can seek Proton's sponsorship for Nadzmi is the chairman of the national carmaker. Unless, well, you speak to Mumtaz so that she can speak to Rosmah.

Atlit intelek

Reviu final Piala FA

AMARAN - siapa tak boleh terima kritikan terutama di kalangan penyokong Kedah, usah baca reviu ini.

Suasana menjelang final selalunya hebat

Final bersejarah - kali pertama dua rangkaian televisyen menyiarkan perlawanan secara langsung - TV1 RTM dan Astro Arena...yang ada jenama TM Streamyx belah kiri tu Outside Broadcasting (OB) truck RTM, yang dua belah kanan milik Astro Arena

Dari kiri K. Thanaraj, Rahman Zabul, Shaffik Rahman, Idris Karim, S. Kunanlan dan Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak

Tentunya dup dap, dup dap beberapa saat sebelum kedua-dua pasukan melangkah ke padang

Empat pegawai perlawanan, dari kiri Azman Ismail, R. Krishnan, Suburi Daud dan Zulfikar Abdullah aku bagi 7 mata daripada 10 markah...kira ok la tu, asalkan tidak ada insiden kontroversi yang terang-terangan boleh dipertikai

Tidak macam segelintir penyokong ultras atau totok di kalangan Kenari Fan Club yang memberi ulasan tanpa hemah dan budi bahasa di facebook, aku "appreciate" good football tanpa mengira pasukan. Sebab itu dalam koleksi jersi aku ada Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, Trabzonspor, AS Monaco, Palestin, Bahrain dan sudah tentu Perancis...berapa kerat kat Malaysia yang ada woi! Satu lagi, kepada semua penyokong Kedah, aku nilah mastermind yang bikin pengalaman Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli di Perancis satu realiti, siap ada kolum di Berita Minggu dan Sunday Mail...bukan nak masuk bakul tapi sesetengah budak yang kurang baca tu kena ajar sikit...yang setakat nak kutuk sesiapa yang tidak sealiran dengan hangpa, boleh belah la...

Final Piala FA edisi ke-21 kukira hebat lah juga. Penyokong dalam 50,000 (yang berbayar kira-kira 40,000) terhibur/kecewa dengan drama penentuan sepakan penalti, gol Kedah yang terukir indah dan kejayaan Negeri Sembilan hanya beberapa bulan merangkul Piala Malaysia.

Kalau ikut previu aku, ramalan kesebelasan kemungkinan aku hampir tepat. Cuma aku terlupa pemain tengah kanan Shahurain Abu Samah digantung satu perlawanan. Aku ramal Sabre Mat Abu bermula di jentera tengah dan bukan di bek kanan, serta kemungkinan Baddrol Bakhtiar muncul wira buat Kedah.

Analisis taktikal:

Negeri Sembilan bermula dengan formasi 4-3-3, Shaffik Rahman di tengah, diapit oleh K. Thanaraj di kiri dan Zaquan Adha Abdul Radzak di kanan, manakala S. Kunanlan di belakang Shaffik dan dibantu Rezal Zambery Yahya dan Idris Karim. Percaturan ini aku rasa bertujuan memaksa Azmi Muslim sibuk mengawal Zaquan sekali gus menafikannya ruang membantu Fadly Baharum di penjuru kiri Kedah. Thanaraj, pada usia 23 tahun, memiliki kaki kiri yang "sweet" orang putih kata, tapi dia kaget dan kerap hilang bola, jadi Wan Jamak Hassan bingkas membuat keputusan memasukkan Firdaus Azizul seawal minit ke-24. Zaquan memang rajin tapi tanpa seorang penyerang berbisa dan berpengalaman (musim lalu Negeri ada Hairuddin Omar) di sisinya, Zaquan kerap kali berseorangan melawan benteng Kenari.

Kedah pula menampilkan formasi 4-4-2, Fadly di penjuru kiri, Faizal Abu Bakar di sebelah kanan manakala Shafiq Jamal di hujung tombak dengan Baddrol bebas berlegar. Malang buat Ahmad Yusof apabila kecederaan Fadly pada minit ke-33 memaksa dia memasukkan Khyril Muhymeen Zambri terlalu awal. Ku kira perancangan asal tentunya Meen masuk babak kedua kerana dia kurang cergas berikutan rehat panjang dek pembedahan ACL. Bukan mudah Sabre, 23, dan kapten Shahrulnizam Mustapa, 28, bersaing dengan Rezal, 33 dan Idris, 34.

Jaringan:

Minit ke-27: Azmi kepada Fazliata Taib yang menghantar terus kepada Baddrol, flick kepada Shafiq untuk one-two sambil Shukor Adan, Aidil Zafuan dan Ching Hong Aik terpedaya, lalu Baddrol sekadar melambung bola melepasi Sani Anuar Kamsani. Empat hantaran dan gol yang pasti dikenang ramai. Dengan syarat Astro Arena kena selalu ulang.

Minit ke-39: Sorry Negeri - jaringan ini dicetak hasil kerjasama orang Johor. Idris kepada Rezal, yang mengumpan kepada Shaffik, menggelecek melepasi Khairul Helmi Johari. Belum sempat Fazliata hadang, Shaffik bijak menyepak dengan outstepnya. Masalah buat Kedah, ruang kawasan bahaya itu tidak ditutup oleh Sabre.

Report card pemain Negeri:

1. Sani Anuar Kamsani - tenang dan mendakap beberapa percubaan, terutama sepakan percuma Baddrol. Tidak terdaya menafikan gol Baddrol. 7.5 mata

2. Rahman Zabul - melakukan tugas di bek kanan. 6 mata

3. Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak - menang perebutan bola di udara tetapi tertipu dek helah Baddrol dan Shafik ketika gawang Negeri dibocori. Persefahaman mantap dengan Shukor senjata Negeri. 6.5 mata

4. Shukor Adan - selain sibuk mengawal benteng, sempat buat dua percubaan - tandukan pada babak pertama yang tersasar dan rembatan half-chance pada minit ke-75 yang diselamatkan oleh Helmi Eliza Elias. 7 mata

5. Ching Hong Aik - berusia 37 tahun November ini, anak Melaka ini kaya pengalaman walaupun kurang kudrat. Disebabkan Faizal gagal menembusi byline untuk melakukan umpanan, Ching tak dicabar sangat. 6 mata

6. Idris Karim - dulu paling muda dalam barisan pra-Olimpik Claude Le Roy dan pernah berdepan dengan David Beckham dan Juninho Pernambucano di Kejohanan Toulon di Perancis pada 1995, Idris guna sepenuh pengalaman untuk rebut bola dan rosakkan pergerakan Kedah. 6 mata

7. Rezal Zambery Yahya - menstabilkan keadaan di tengah buat Negeri. Menyempurnakan sepakan penalti terakhir. 6.5 mata

8. S. Kunanlan - berusaha keras ikut arahan Wan Jamak untuk menyokong pertahanan dan serangan. 6 mata

9. K. Thanaraj - kasihan, dia nervous. 4.5 mata (Firdaus) 5 mata (Norizam Salaman) 5.5 mata

10. Shaffik Rahman - sudahpun berusia 25 tahun, berasal dari Johor dan pernah main untuk MyTeam, selain jaringan cantiknya, kurang efektif meringankan beban Zaquan. 5.5 mata

11. Zaquan Adha Abdul Radzak - laksanakan tugas bikin Azmi sibuk, selain mencuri ruang meledak rembatan ditepis oleh Helmi pada babak kedua masa tambahan. 7 mata

Jurulatih: Wan Jamak Hassan - sudah menang Piala Malaysia dan Piala FA. Tapi susah nak rangkul Liga Super. Negeri tak de striker.

Report card pemain Kedah:

1. Helmi Eliza Elias - menepis beberapa percubaan Negeri, menyelamatkan sepakan penalti Zaquan, malang sepakan dia pulak melambung. Patut selamatkan percubaan Shaffik. 7 mata

2. V. Thirumurugan - dengan pengalaman yang ada, pantas meringankan beban Fazliata dan Khairul, dengan last-ditch tackles terhadap Zaquan dan Kunanlan menafikan gol buat Negeri. 6.5 mata

3. Azmi Muslim - sibuk membuntuti Zaquan sepanjang babak pertama dan awal babak kedua. Lorongan kaki kirinya berbahaya tapi tidak diperguna sepenuhnya. 6 mata

4. Khairul Helmi Johari - banyak buat clearance tapi terpedaya dengan gelecekan Shaffik. 5 mata

5. Fazliata Taib - buat tackle kadangkala bagus dan kawal kubu dengan elok. 5 mata

6. Sabre Mat Abu - tidak menonjol sebagai defensive midfielder. Terhincut-hincut ketika penaltinya ditepis oleh Sani Anuar Kamsani. 5 mata

7. Shahrulnizam Mustapa - walaupun sesekali memperlahankan tempo Kedah, Arul menonjol, cuma percubaan dan hantaran ada kalanya liar. 6.5 mata

8. Fadly Baharum - pulang ke Alor Star dengan kepala berjahit. 5 mata (Khyril Muhymeen Zambri jelas tidak cergas walaupun sedaya-upaya mengucar-kacirkan benteng Negeri. 6 mata

9. Faizal Abu Bakar - kurang efektik menembusi penjuru kanan. Patutnya usaha pergi ke byline dan bikin Ching penat tapi tak jadi. 5 mata

10. Shafiq Jamal - tenggelam dan satu-satunya sumbangan bermakna adalah hantaran yang membawa kepada jaringan Baddrol. 5 mata

11. Baddrol Bakhtiar - memang setuju jadi Pemain Terbaik. Mengambil sepakan percuma, sepakan penjuru. Jaringan kelas pertama. Pada usia 22 tahun, Baddrol kena jaga sikap. Usah lupa rumput dipijak. 7.5 mata

Jurulatih: Ahmad Yusof - selepas dicaci, setidak-tidaknya Ahmad Yusof suluh laluan Kedah bangkit. Dalam Liga Super, kena beri motivasi anak buah agar tidak tertekan di kandang sendiri dan kena mula catat kemenangan bergaya di Stadium Darulaman.

Rumusan: Kesudahan mungkin berbeza jika Kedah dapat membariskan Ahmad Fauzi Saari di tengah, Victor Andrag di benteng dan Azlan Ismail sebagai penyudah.

Apapun, loose cannon ramal Negeri menang, sama ada di Nadi Arena, Sudut Pandang Awani dan blog ini. Sekian.