Plant the seeds to reap the benefits later

24/11/2001

IT WAS a hot and humid day, so I parked my car under my neighbour's mango
tree for a few hours recently.
When I came out, there was a note pinned under the wiper blade which
read "If you like to park your car under the shade, I suggest you plant
your own mango tree."
Some of us never know how selfish we are until it is pointed out to us.
SportExcel (Foundation for Malaysian Sporting Excellence) was
incorporated in Aug 12 1989 and was launched on April 8, 1991 and has been
busy planting seeds at the grassroot level for 10 years now, and have
nurtured many present big names who have brought glory to the country at
the international level.
But, according to their founder and Chairman for the past 10 years,
Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar, their success rate has been moderate "If only
we had more money," lamented Tunku Imran.
The RM15,00-a-year entitles an organisation to become SportExcel's
Chartered Member while RM5,000-a-year will entitle one to become a
Corporate Sponsor.
Even then, SportExcel has been finding it hard to net in big
corporations to become their long-term partners in sport, eventhough the
sum mentioned above can be considered as "pocket money" for them.
The reason: "Not enough publicity is given to them although they have
contributed a large amount for the development of sports in the country."
Shocking as it may seem, some of the previous sponsors that have pulled
out of the SportExcel programme over the years wanted their names and
press presentation pictures to be published in the major dailies so that
they will gain mileage for the money they have pumped in for the
development of grassroot sports in Malaysia.
What these selfish organisations have failed to realise is that their
RM5,000 or RM15,000 has been instrumental in building a strong base of
sportsmen and women in the country for the past 10 years.
SportExcel has played a part in the progress and success of top squash
players like Ong Beng Hee, Nicol David, Leong Siu Lynn; bowlers Shalin
Zulkifli, Sarah Yap, Lisa Kwan, Sharon Low, Ng Yiew Hup; sailors Ryan Tan,
Nazmi Sharif; swimmers Jeffrey Ong, Elvin Chia; golfers Danny Chia, Lim Ai
Lian, Lim Siew Ai; cyclist M. Kumarasen; snooker players Sam Chong, Liew
Kit Fatt; cricket sensation Arul Suppiah; latest discovery in golf Ben
Leong .... the list goes on and on.
These athletes are household names today and have all either grown up
with the SportExcel circuit or have been funded by their Elite
Athlete Programme until they were able to stand on their own and source
for sponsors or get help from the National Sports Cpouncil to take them to
the next level in sports.
Isn't their success reason enough for SportExcel's sponsors to
celebrate?
It takes about RM700,000 for SportExcel to run their 12 sports circuits
per-year and right now, they are finding it hard to make ends meet. But
all is not lost because the NSC, always generous when it comes to
developing the grassroots, and Milo have each chipped in RM200,000 to
support SportExcel's programmes.
The SportExcel tree is today 10 years old and has nurtured and shaded
numerous athletes who have made a name for themselves at the international
level.
It was a prudent investment initiated by Antah Holdings Berhad in 1991
when they planted the SportExcel tree, which, with help from unselfish
sponsors, can only grow bigger in the years to come and help more budding
athletes in the country.
By the way, I have planted my own mango tree, thanks to my neighbour.
(END)