TMJ dan perancangannya

Tahniah Haresh Deol kerana menemuramah Tengku Mahkota Johor yang sekarang memimpin Persatuan Bola Sepak Negeri Johor (PBNJ). Baca I'll do it my way

Tahniah TMJ atas pendedahan dalam Twitter di sini sehingga membawa kepada penahanan seorang wanita di sini.

Tetapi aku sedikit skeptik apabila TMJ dikaitkan dengan jawatan presiden Kesatuan Olahraga Malaysia yang masih amatur semua segi. Baca di sini.

Wajar jika TMJ menumpu sepenuh perhatian kepada pembentukan sebuah pasukan Johor yang disegani dan kembali bersaing di peringkat tertinggi. Jika pasukan negeri dikendalikan dengan profesional, betul dan ikhlas, mereka akan melahirkan pemain berwibawa yang sudahnya memudahkan ketua jurulatih kebangsaan mendapat satu kelompok yang besar. Sama ada sumber modal dan sumber manusia wajar disatukan bawah satu bumbung bergelar PBNJ, kita patut beri tempoh sama ada ia berjaya atau tidak.

Kalau KOM pula, ia akan menyulitkan keadaan. Disebabkan olahraga bukan satu industri bernilai berjuta ringgit, penggiatnya lain macam sedikit. Warlords di peringkat negeri yang banyak tidak buat apapun tetapi mahu bawa TMJ ke peringkat nasional. Baru-baru ini 10 wakil dari persatuan negeri menghadap TMJ. Harap TMJ fikir semasak-masaknya kerana tiada kerabat diraja yang menerajui KOM dari 1906. Tapi kalau TMJ diperlukan untuk mengetepikan Shahidan Kassim, macam mana? Power-brokers KOM siang-siang lagi tidak mahu Danyal Balagopal Abdullah. Tapi kalau TMJ serius hendak ambil alih, jangan ulangi kesilapan Shahidan.

Baca surat terbuka aku dalam the Malay Mail pada 2008.

Dear Datuk Seri,


RE: MAAU elections


LET's cut to the chase, Datuk Seri, and limit the exchange of pleasantries.


My humble apologies for this piece of unsolicited advice, Datuk Seri, but I hope you will channel your energy, time and money to help Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah become your deputy in the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union elections in Kangar on Sunday.


Danyal's credentials are unquestionable, Datuk Seri, and that is why I'm willing to put my name and reputation on the line.


Do you know, Datuk Seri, that Danyal was instrumental in getting the International Association of Athletics Federation to pick Kuala Lumpur to house its High Performance Training Centre?


He put the plan into motion in Bangkok in late 2002 by conducting a background check of the HPTC in Bangkok. It culminated with IAAF's decision to award Kuala Lumpur the privilege in its meeting in Doha in April 2005.


Admired for his work ethics, Danyal was also the man behind Kids Athletics, a programme designed to introduce athletics in a fun way to some 6,000 primary schools.


Endorsed by IAAF, Kids Athletics uses the three basic elements - running, jumping and throwing - to introduce track and field in a fun way to children aged eight to 13.


But guess what? His plans never saw the light of day. He was not allowed to reap the fruits of his labour due to the internal bickering in MAAU.


Athletics is one of the eight core sports identified to enhance the nation's image as a sporting nation.


MAAU was suspended by the Sports Commissioner in 2002, when I was in the thick of the action, having kept tabs on the issue from the outset.


MAAU was accused of hindering the development of sports, and if politics continue to hamper its progress, it is time for it to be removed as a core sport, or for the Commissioner to take a second look.


Danyal, if you remember, Datuk Seri, contested the presidency in 2006, opting to challenge you after Datuk Syed Mohamad Aidid Syed Murtadza relinquished his post at the eleventh hour.


You, Datuk Seri, won and Danyal quit as the deputy president.


By right, Danyal is the best man to complement you as the No 1.


Experienced in management, Danyal was the Inspector-General of the Navy before retiring as the director-general of management and strategic planning of the Armed Forces.


Datuk Seri, you have to realise in MAAU, the council, made up of secretaries of the State AAAs, are the king-makers and the real power-brokers.


They `pole vault' a leader to a position in power one year but the following year he or she could be `javelin thrown' out of the picture if he or she does not subscribe to the council's ways.


For you to avoid the mistakes and "entertaining, clowning and lion-taming" ways of your predecessors, you ought to make Danyal your trusted lieutenant. This is one way of neutralising the threat of a few within the fraternity.


Karim Ibrahim, the other candidate for the deputy presidency, was the secretary when MAAU was suspended in 2002. He is a former air force sergeant of the logistics division in Butterworth but is a qualified athletics coach.


I also have other issues that I need to raise with you, Datuk Seri.


* Can you please tell me, as a stakeholder in Malaysian sports and a citizen of Malaysia, Datuk Seri, whether the IAAF were right in saying that MAAU owe them almost Euro4,000 (RM18,760) for accommodation during the World Championship in Helsinki in 2005?


* Is it true that an MAAU official had used the president's privileges without consent during the trip? I know this transpired before your time but is it true you have been notified of it because it affects IAAF's grant for MAAU?


* Is it true MAAU have yet to submit their accounts to the National Sports Council for the month-long training stint in Bulgaria in June last year?


* Is it true that there was a petition signed by all athletes in the Korat SEA Games demanding that MAAU does not continue the services of a veteran coach whose salary is bankrolled by the NSC? If so, why?


* Have you conducted an investigation as to why Latif Nyat's name was not registered for the men's 100m race in Korat? Is it true there were other athletes who did not participate due to MAAU's folly?


* How does MAAU manage talent? Take Hanoi SEA Games double gold medallist, Nazmizan Muhamad, who quit his job at Maybank to work at Unimap in Kuala Perlis, your State. Why did he have to leave the facilities offered in Kuala Lumpur?


If you beg to differ, Datuk Seri, let's discuss this over a bowl of laksa at my aunty's place in Kuala Perlis. We can invite Nazmizan as well.


Respectfully yours,


Rizal Hashim,


Bangsar.