Sportinglah sikit...

Aku ingin merakamkan rasa kecewa amat sangat selepas dimaklumkan bahawa beberapa individu termasuk seorang pegawai tertinggi Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), seorang wartawan dan sebuah akhbar diberi surat tuntutan oleh Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) berhubung

Baca Malay Mail to be sued, Suing Spree dan NSC sues Mesuma

Beberapa persoalan berlegar dalam benak aku.

1. Bukankah MSN terbabit dalam satu kes saman di mahkamah? Perlu lagi kes lain?

2. Apakah tindakan mengirim surat tuntutan itu mendapat persetujuan Lembaga Pengurusan MSN yang dipengerusikan oleh Menteri Belia dan Sukan?

3. Bagaimana pula pendapat dua wakil MOM dan presiden Persatuan Penulis-penulis Sukan Malaysia (SAM) yang menganggotai Lembaga Pengurusan MSN?

4. Di saat Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek mahu dilihat lebih terbuka dan telus sehingga memohon maaf atas kegagalan program Road to London, tindakan MSN boleh ditafsir sebagai tunjuk kuat dan berlawanan dengan semangat kesukanan yang tinggi.

5. Pegawai, jurulatih, akhbar dan wartawan adalah stakeholders dalam arena sukan. Mereka juga warga Malaysia...mereka juga rakyat negara ini yang didendangkan dengan slogan Janji Ditepati, Rakyat Didahulukan...

6. Apakah MSN pantang ditegur?

Sekadar berkongsi pengalaman sepanjang 20 tahun membuat liputan MSN...

Ketua Pengarah MSN dari 1993 hingga 2005, Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad, diasak dengan pelbagai kontroversi, isu dan tuduhan sepanjang tempoh itu.

Antaranya pendedahan muka depan akhbar The Malay Mail pada 1995.

"THE Olympic Council of Malaysia, shocked at the allegation that the National Sports Council spent millions on substandard athletics equipment, has asked for a probe into the possibility of shady deals.

"I certainly hope that there is no hanky-panky involved. However, the NSC must check it out. There must be no cover-up," he said. Sieh was responding to The Malay Mail report quoting officials and coaches in charge of NSC's 1998 Commonwealth Games centres of excellence that they had been provided with substandard equipment hazardous to their athletes.

The officials and coaches claimed that the equipment not only failed International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) specifications but are also a danger to the athletes. The hurdles, for instance, are so fragile that if it snaps, it can hurt the athlete. High jump bars made of cheap material bend easily, discuses disintegrate after a few throws, and stopwatches give inaccurate timings."

"The National Sports Council (NSC) should show that they have got nothing to hide instead of preventing their coaches from speaking to the Malaysian public.

Athletics coach Mohamed Musa Nor Mohamed yesterday spoke out on the matter and called on the NSC to grant "freedom of speech" to their workers.

He wants the NSC to prove that there are no skeletons in the closet by allowing coaches to make Press statements.

The Malaysian AAU development chairman said: "If they have nothing to hide, why are coaches hired by NSC not allowed to issue Press statements?" The coach from Pahang pointed out that proof of NSC's "information blackout" was contained in their contracts with coaches which forbid the latter from issuing Press statements.

"If they are sincere and interested in sports development, they will allow coaches to speak to the Press. Constructive criticism will help highlight the problems faced by coaches and athletes.

"What are they scared of?" Musa, who recently called for the resignation of NSC's foreign coaches at the Kajang athletics centre of exellence, has been issued a show cause letter by NSC for making several Press reports."

Laporan itu mengakibatkan MSN disiasat Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR). Akhirnya nama MSN dibersihkan. Peliknya Mazlan tidak mengambil sebarang tindakan undang-undang pun.Selama 12 tahun bukan sedikit komentar keras, sindiran tajam dan perbezaan pendapat yang dilemparkan ke arah MSN dan Mazlan tetapi peliknya paling teruk pun hanya ancaman kepada wartawan tidak boleh masuk ke kawasan MSN, seperti yang pernah disuarakan terhadap aku!

Sekali lagi peminat, pegawai, jurulatih, wartawan dan ibu bapa - kita harus ingatkan pemegang jawatan sama ada badan bukan kerajaan atau agensi kerajaan agar berani dilambung ombak jika sudah berumah di tepi pantai. Jika tidak bolehlah pilih duduk di tengah pekan...

Bagi semua pemimpin sukan, cubalah contohi semangat generasi terdahulu seperti Allahyarham Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, King Ghaz...sportinglah sikit...

Risau juga nanti MSN digelar Majlis Saman Negara...

Satu permintaan kepada Ahmad Shabery, dulu Datuk Seri kata boleh arahkan pegawai muncul dalam program kendalian seorang blogger Dengan Izin di Astro Arena 801...Jadi? Janji Ditepati!

Nota kaki:

Kalau saman penulis artikel warkah terbuka buat Rizal Hashim, berapa agaknya jumlah ganti rugi? Tapi apabila bertemu tahun lalu, aku mengambil gambar di bawah bersama Tepak Bersulam. Dia tahu juga banyak rahsia MSN hehehe. Apabila kita berperang (jenis yang bukan hunus senjata), cedera dan luka sebahagian daripada cabarannya!