No second thoughts for MHF

23/01/2003

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) has no reservations about absorbing
clubs into the parent body as they feel the club structure has been
helping them to develop the game.
"Since 1987, when the Malaysia Hockey League was incepted, we have
always welcomed clubs into our domestic tournaments. Some of the national
players are products of the clubs," said MHF secretary yesterday.
"So, we have no qualms about making them non-voting members."
Sports Commissioner Datuk Zabri Min will be meeting all the secretaries
of associations today at the Sports Ministry in Kuala Lumpur to brief them
about the proposal to absorb clubs into national bodies.
"We have received a questionnaire from the Sports Commissioner's office
asking us whether we would like to absorb clubs into the MHF. The
questionnaire must be returned before Feb 15, which is the date of the MHF
Council meeting," Satgunam disclosed.
"It is likely that the MHF will have to meet earlier to discuss the
questionnaire and submit it to the Commissioner's office before the
deadline.
"The issue will be further discussed at the Council meeting and we will
come out with a statement after that."
Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Ja'afar had
started the ball rolling when he suggested that associations do away with
State HAs, in the case of hockey, and absorb clubs as its voting members.
Tunku Imran proposed a few alternatives.
One was to do away with State affiliates and appoint regional
consultants who will run tournaments for a few States on a zonal basis of
North, Central and South.
The Malaysian Taekwondo Association, with a strong club-based
foundation, has even agreed to give them (the clubs) voting rights, but
some of the other associations are in two minds about that.
"The MHL and the Junior League are strong examples of our working
relationship with clubs. Sapura, Anderson, Tenaga Nasional, Telekom, Old
La Sallians Association of Klang, Maybank and Yayasan Negri Sembilan, to
name a few, are some of the clubs which have been regularly playing in our
tournaments," said Satgunam.
"They have given school leavers the opportunity to continue playing
hockey and avoided a talent drain."
Petaling Jaya Municipal Council, Malacca Municipal Council and State
Sports Councils from Johor, Perlis and Kedah have also been actively
involved in MHF's domestic tournaments.
"We also have a very strong working relationship with schools. The
Champions Schools, for example, is one of the ways we keep in touch with
the grassroots.
"After school, most of the players, if not selected for national
training, have nowhere to go. So we at the MHF strongly feel that clubs
have been the answer to keep boys between 18 and 21 years interested in
hockey."
Presently, only two clubs are affiliated to MHF, but they do not have
voting rights.
"The Malaysian Sikh Sports Council and the Malaysian Indian Sports
Council are part of our organising structure but they do not have voting
rights.
"I will attend the Sports Commissioner's briefing tomorrow (today) to
get a clearer picture of how the clubs can be incorporated into the parent
body.
"But if the proposal is to do away with State affiliates and rely solely
on clubs, I do not think the MHF Council will agree to that because States
are our lifeline and we need them to keep hockey alive in the country. But
working with clubs is not a problem for us," said Satgunam.
(END)