Penang HA to meet Tengku Abdullah

PENANG HA will be among those who will meet Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad on Oct 18, and only then submit their nominations for the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) elections.
Penang, with three votes in their hands including that of treasurer S. Sanjilatheeban, first want to brief Tengku Abdullah on the present state of the MHF, and then listen to how he can help the sport before nominating their man for the No 1 and No 2 posts.
“We (Penang HA) will attend the meeting with Tengku Abdullah where we will tell him about the true state of the MHF. And after listening to his plans for the sport, and if he agrees to stand, we will throw our support behind him,” said Penang HA secretary Ranjit Singh.
The truth is that MHF is a fast sinking ship, with the national team ranked a miserable 15th in the world, and their coffers are dry and need an urgent infusion of funds.
The MHF elections will be held on Nov 1, with nominations closing on Oct 25.
The present MHF president Tan Sri (rtd) Admiral Admiral Anwar Mohd Nor and his deputy Tunku Majid Sultan Iskandar have also expressed interest in seeking another term, but the scene might change after Tengku Abdullah makes his stand.
“We need someone who is truly interested in the sport, and will be hands on to make some crucial decisions as the sport is facing hard times right now.
“Also, we have the Junior World Cup next year, and need someone who can get cracking immediately after the elections, as much still needs to be done,” said Ranjit.
A delegation of about 15 affiliates are expected to meet Tengku Abdullah at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 18, and the nominations are expected to start coming in after they hear his views.
To date, Malacca HA deputy president and two-term MHF vice-president Nur Azmi Ahmad has stated his intention to stand for the deputy president’s post, but there might be massive winds of chance if the affiliates manage to convince Tengku Abdullah to become the next president of the MHF.