DAP rocket blasted onto Pas moon...

THE Prime Minister's religious advisor Datuk Seri Dr Abdullah Md Zin yesterday blasted the DAP rocket all the way to the Pas moon, when he lambasted both parties for playing a 'hudud drama', just for the sake of a few votes.

  PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had said that even though DAP were vocal about the implementation of hudud if Pakatan Rakyat were to come into power, they were not opposed to it.

   Umno on the other hand, were non-committal on the matter, while silently opposing its implementation.

  "It is very disturbing how Pas can make statements without any proof or basis, just for the sake  of winning a few extra votes. Everybody knows DAP's disdain on hudut, and Hadi is living in a dream world, and should wake up to reality," said Abdullah, who was the former MP for Besut.

  Abdullah pointed out that UMNO has always championed the Islamic way of living, as evident to the implementation of Syariah law.

   "Umno has always been championing the five tenets of Islam, and Syariah law is implemented in all the courts in every state. How can 

Pas claim that Umno is silently opposed to Islam by not implementing 

hudud law, as even Hadi himself had said earlier that hudud is only 0.001 per cent of the total laws in Islam?

  "It is DAP that has been very vocal in opposing the implementations of Islamic law, as Karpal Singh (Dap National Chairman) had said "over my dead body" when asked about it?

   "Another question for PAS is that how come they can't even implement hudud in Kelantan which they hold? If they can't follow their own dreams in Kelantan, why shout and rant about it during the election period only?," lambasted Abdullah.

  At a function for the retired in Kuala Besut yesterday, Besut 

Parliament candidate Datuk Seri Ibrahim Jusoh also took Pas to task.

   "Nothing that Pas politicians say can be trusted as they have been playing this game with DAP for decades. Hudud or no hudud always comes to the forefront during election years and is then placed in the dark after that.

  "Pas is fighting a losing battle in Terengganu, as they have failed 

to get the Chinese here to listen to them. As an example, a few Chinese got together and constructed a Pas booth near Jerteh, but it only lasted one day as it was torn down because they could not work together for even 24-hours.

  "How can they run a country is they can't even agree on a small booth in the run-up to the elections?," said Idris.

   About 200 pensioners were feted at the function, and most of them live and vote in the Kota Putera constituency which will see a three cornered fight between Barisan Nasional, Pas and PKR candidates.

HADI: Target smaller groups..

PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said yesterday in Kuala Besut that the party is no longer interested in large scale gatherings, but will concentrate on small groups to get their message to the masses.
  He paid a visit to Kota Putara Pas candidate Adam Mat Said in a small village mosque yesterday where about 50 supporters turned out to hear him speak.
  "We found out that large gatherings serve no purpose as there is no personal touch in it for the targeted group. There are also many outsiders who also attend and we do not know who they are or what they want.
  "That is why we will mobilise about 20 people from various parts of the country to concentrate on smaller groups by holding talks at supporters houses and we also do not need to apply for permits to do this.
  "I feel it much more effective to spread our manifesto news in this manner, as we intend to wrestle back some of the seats which we lost in Terengganu," said Abdul Hadi.
  There was no fiery speech, as he is normally associated with, as he advised the small group of supporters to hold steadfast to their believes and not listen to rumours which could derail their stand.
  "We need to keep ourselves united and works towards the party's success, and after that, the party manifesto will be realised as promised," he said to the target group in Kamung Lahar, Kota Putera.
   There will be a three-cornered battle in Kota Putara as PKR also nominated Mohamed Abdul Ghani Ibrahim to battle Barisan Nasional's Mohd Mahdi Musa.
   Besut has one Parliament and four State seats, all of which were won by BN in the last elections.

KLHC champs, yet again...

When the TNB Malaysian Hockey League got underway, many had written off defending champions KL Hockey Club, especially when they lost six national players to Terengganu HT.

But champions are made and not born, and with that in mind, manager George Koshy and coach K. Dharmaraj started building the team again and in that process made some intelligent signings, especially foreign players.

That was not all for even the youngsters turned out to be key players in their quest to retain the titles they had won. And today part of that journey for redemption was completed when KLHC defeated Maybank 4-2 to retain the TNBMHL league title at the USM Stadium in Penang.

What made it more impressive was the fact that KLHC has retained the league title with two matches to spare and for Koshy, this is the first step.

"It is always good to win and more importantly play well in the process. No doubt that we were written off but I guess that only spurred the players to play better and as a result we have the league title in the bag," said Koshy.

"But we are not about to take our foot off the pedal as we intend to keep the momentum going and play our best team in the remaining two matches. The knockout stage is a totally new ball game and we will take it one match at a time.

"It was a very competitive league and really it is always difficult to defend a title. I am pround of what the players have done but there is still unfinished business as so far as I am concerned."

Indeed the celebrations by the KLHC players were muted and Chua Boon Huat summed it up: " We have to forget the win and focus on defending the TNB Cup."

For mayban coach Wallace Tan, the failure to land the league title was a dissapointment but all is not lost.

"We have to try win the runner up spot and to do that we need to win the remaining matches. It was a good performance today but we failed to make use of the chances that we created," said Wallace.

KLHC took an early lead as Muhammad Imran converted a penalty corner in the 3rd minute. A brilliant reverse stick hit by Akhtar Ali in the 15th minute doubled KLHC's advantage.

But a deflection by Imran past his keeper Roslan Jamaluddin gave Maybank a lifeline in the 26h minute. And seconds before te halftime hooter, Shakeel Abbasi put Maybank on level terms.

KLHC were undeterred ad went 3-2 ahead through Muhammad Umar Bhutta in the 48th minute before Muhammad Najib Hassan made sure of the title with a goal in the 61st minute.

Idris gets help from ex-Besut MP

KUALA TERENGGANU: There was neither time nor reason to sulk, so former Besut member of parliament Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohd Zain immediately set out to ensure that Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh would win in the constituency.

A day after Terengganu BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said announced the candidates' list, Dr Abdullah paid a visit to Idris to work out a strategy to ensure BN makes a clean sweep of the parliamentary constituency and its four state seats.
"I am with Idris right now, and we just had a discussion on how to make a concerted effort to ensure BN makes a clean sweep again.
"I will be lending Idris a hand, there is no doubt about that," said Dr Abdullah yesterday.
The four state seats will be contested by Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar (Kuala Besut), Mohamed Mahadi Musa (Kota Putra), Muhammad Pehimi Yusof (Jerteh) and Nawi Mohamed (Hulu Besut).
"In fact, my wife, who is Wanita Umno chief here, has also started campaigning for Idris among the women."
Asked about support from the ground, he said the people in Besut were solidly behind BN.
"I do not see any problems in Besut and we will deliver our part of the bargain to ensure a big win for BN," he said.

Money can't sway this lad..

Just before the season began, Mohd Noor Faeez Ibrahim had second thoughts about playing for UniKL in the TNB Malaysian Hockey League as was made an offer too good to refuse by Terengganu HT.

But he did not trek east as did many other players and it could well be the best decision this budding player made for the good of his career. For the diminutive Faeez, or Petak as he is nicknamed, is amongst the top scorers in the MHL.

---

He has scored a total of 8 goals, and is in third spot, behind Faisal Saari (10 goals) and Khasif Ali (9) goals. and what is more remarkable is taht Faeez has scored two thirds of UniKL's total goals for the season that stand at 12 currently.

Winning the top scorer award is within his reach and it will not be something new for the 2009 Junior Hockey League top scorer. Faeez was also voted as the most promising player in the 2009 Razak Cup in Kuala Lumpur land named the best player in the South East Asia (SEA) Cup in Bangkok in 2009.

Last night (Tuesday) was another feather in the cap of the player who lists Usain Bolt as his sports hero. For Faeez led his national junior team onto the stage to receive the 2012 Best Team Award in the National Sports Award.

They were picked for winning the Junior Asia Cup in May 2012, the first time ever Malaysia won the title and assured them a place in the 2013 Junior World Cup.

However Faeez will not be playing in the Junior World cup as he is overaged.

"It is a wonderful momment and we never expected to win the award given that there are many senior teams that have also done well last year. It is indeed an honour for us and this will spur the team to do better in the Junior World Cup in India this December," said the soft spoken Faeez who played for Hatem Hockey Club in the Dutch second division two years ago.

"The team has talent and just needs to believe in their ability to ensure at least a top six finish in India."

Faeez shoulders a heavy responsibility for UniKL, as not only is he the key player in penalty corners, but also man's the UniKL defence. The fact that the team comprises of youngsters, with the exception of the likes of S. Selvaraju and Baljot Singh, adds pressure on Faeez to churn out consistent performances, week in and week out.

"We go out onto the pitch without any pressure as the opponents have more experienced players. Hence that helps us play our game and it does not put us under unnecessary pressure," said Faeez.

"But we tend to make mistakes, some that are due to lack of experience while others through trying to overdo things, and these factors cost us points and also we concede goals as well.

"But overall I think we are doing relatively well in the MHL, though we are unlucky at times. We are giving the more established sides a run for their money andnot being outclassed on the pitch."

Faeez started playing hockey for Sekolah Kebangsaan Rantau Panjang in Klang before moving to the Bandar Penawar Sports School ( now known as Sekolah Sukan Tengku Mahkota Ismail).

With fishing as his hobby, the well mannered Faeez is a joy to watch on the pitch when let loose to join the attack. His reading of the games, with astute positioning and cool tackling has allowed UniKL to get out of trouble many a time.

"UniKL is one big happy family and the officials have been great in encouraging us. What UniKL is doing for hockey should be emulated by other institutions of higher learning as not only do they give youngsters a chance to improve in hockey but also provide education opportunities that will serve us well in the future,"added Faeez.

"We need to get some points in Penang this weekend and I really hope taht we get a good draw for the last eight."

Down with election fever...

Sports takes a back-seat until May 5 for me, as I have been roped in to help in the election campaign for the New Straits Times.
  There will be some updates, but copy and pasty kind, as I struggle to get to grips with the election fever in Terengganu.
  Besut will be my home for more than 22 days, and after three days here, I am slowly blending into the local crowd.

Terengganu hurdle once more..

 KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) coach K. Dharmaraj has cautioned his charges not to take the first leg results against Terengganu as a yardstick when both the teams square off again in the second round of the Malaysia Hockey League today (SUNDAY).
  Double champions KLHC whipped Terengganu 5-0 in the first leg last weekend in Kuantan, but are wary of the East Coast side which had pinched six of their best in a pre-season signing frenzy.
  "Terengganu have the players to upset any team on their day, and I have the pleasure of coaching some of them for many years before they moved on, so I know heir strength.
  "We did beat them with a high score last weekend, but that can't be used as an excuse to take them lightly. My players know the score, and they will give their best again," said Dharmaraj who is also the national juniors coach.
  Last season, KLHC had beaten Sapura 5-0 in the first leg, but ended up with a 1-1 draw in the return leg.
  "We have a sobering lesson to rely from last season, as we hit five goals past Sapura but ended up with a 1-1 draw when we became complacent in the second leg.
  "I have pointed this out to my players, and they know their work it cut out, and there is no Sunday rest," said Dharmaraj.
  And the good news for Dharmaraj is that all his charges are injury-free while his foreign legion of Pakistan players have proved themselves to be assets.
  KLHC are cruising towards the League title as their nearest contenders are Tenaga Nasional and Maybank, while the rest of the Premier Division sides have fallen by the wayside.
   SATURDAY: Premier Division -- Maybank x Tenaga Nasional x.
  SUNDAY: Premier Division -- UniKL v Sapura (National Stadium I, 6pm),
Nur Insafi v Maybank (National Stadium II, 6pm), KLHC v Terengganu
(National Stadium II, 8pm).

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

             P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC         7  6  1  0  30  10  19
TNB          7  4  3  0  24  12  15
Maybank      6  4  0  2  21  17  12
Sapura       7  2  2  3  17  17   8
Tgganu       7  2  1  4  17  20   7
UniKL        7  2  0  5  10  22   6
N Insafi     7  0  1  6   6  27   1

KLHC keep League title in sight..

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) did just enough to beat Sapura 3-2 in Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
  The double champions started their second round campaign with an identical win over Sapura, whom they also edged 3-2 on Sunday in Kuantan.
  However, at the adjacent pitch, UniKl fell 4-1 to Trengganu, after beating them 3-1 last weekend.
  Sapura took the lead in the ninth minute through rough Dangerous Lee but KLHC equalised four minutes before halftime when Akhtar Ali got it right.
  However, Sapura were back at the front in the 40th minute when Khasif Ali converted a penalty corner, taking his tally to nine goals in the MHL.
  The lead, however, lasted only eight minutes as KLHC's Muhammad Imran made it 2-2  before stepping up to score from another penalty corner in the 52nd minute to give KLHC full points.
  As for UniKL, they paid the price for sloppy defending in the 20th minute when Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin's hard work and deft pass allowed Alif Nazaruddin  to tap in from close range.
  And four minutes later Sufi Ismat made it 2-0 after he was left alone on the far post to score.
   Fitri Saari then scored a beauty in the 41st minute for a comfortable 3-0 led before S. Selvarajoo pulled a goal back for UniKL in the 53rd minute but Firtri Saari made the final score 4-1 with a 70th min penalty corner conversion.
   "We gave them too much respect and paid the price for it. We let in soft goals and failed to make use of the chances that we created. It was a poor display by our standards and it was a disappointing outing," said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
  "It was a lucky escape for us and credit to Sapura who played really well. We were a bit soft in defene and need to do better. But I admire the fighting qualities displayed by my players as they never gave up," said KLHC manager George Koshy.
  RESULTS: Premier Division -- KLHC 3 Sapura 2, UniKL 1 Terengganu 4, Nur Insafi 0 Tenaga 1.
  SATURDAY: Premier Division -- Maybank v Tenaga Nasional (National Stadium II, 6pm).
  Division One: Sunday 2030 v TNB Thunderbolts ((National Stadium I, 6pm), UniTen v Bukit Jalil SS (National Stadium II, 8pm), SSTMI v UiTm (Taman Daya, 6pm).
  SUNDAY: Premier Division -- UniKL v Sapura (National Stadium I, 6pm), Nur Insafi v Maybank (National Stadium II, 6pm), KLHC v Terengganu (National Stadium II, 8pm).

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

             P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC         7  6  1  0  30  10  19
TNB          7  4  3  0  24  12  15
Maybank      6  4  0  2  21  17  12
Sapura       7  2  2  3  17  17   8
Tgganu       7  2  1  4  17  20   7
UniKL        7  2  0  5  10  22   6
N Insafi     7  0  1  6   6  27   1

KLHC looking for a home run...

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will be looking to strengthen their grip in the Premier Division when they play Sapura Friday in the Malaysia Hockey League.
   The second round begins this weekend and leaders KLHC, who could only edge Sapura 3-2 last Sunday, are looking for a better showing.
   “My players put themselves under unnecessary pressure by letting in a first minute goal, and then here were some silly mistakes in the end game which saw Sapura almost snatch a draw last weekend.
    “However, I am confident that the second meeting will not be the same as we aim to pull further ahead to defend out League title,” said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
    The double champions have only dropped points in the 3-3 draw against Tenaga Nasional in the first round, and are four points clear of chasing Tenaga and Maybank who have 12 points each.
    Sapura are fourth on the standings with eight points after an erratic first round display.
    The MHL this season is much more competitive with the inclusion of a big pool of foreign players, mainly from Pakistan, while the national players are also keenly watched by coach Paul Revington as they have two important assignments this year.
     The Semi-finals of the World League from June 29-July 7 in Johor and the Asia Cup from Aug 24-Sept 1 in Ipoh, are both qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup.
     And after the MHL ends, Revington’s men will play six matches against China starting on May 19 and the coach has also plans for a one-week tour of South Africa in early June.
    In the World League, No 13 Malaysia are in Group A with world No 1 Germany, South Korea (eight) and the champion from round two of the World League.
    In Group B are England (four) and Pakistan (five) while two more will be decided after the Round Two of the World League.
  And in the Asia Cup, Malaysia are in Group A with Pakistan, Japan and Taiwan, while in Group B are South Korea, India, Oman and Bangladesh.
    TODAY: Premier Division -- KLHC v Sapura (National Stadium I, 6pm), UniKL v Terengganu (National Stadium II, 6pm), Nur Insafi v Tenaga (National Stadium II, 8pm).
    Division One: Ipoh City Council v TNB Thunderbolts (Azlan Shah Stadium, 6pm).
    TOMORROW: Premier Division -- Maybank v Tenaga Nasional (National Stadium II, 6pm).
    Division One: Sunday 2030 v TNB Thunderbolts ((National Stadium I, 6pm), UniTen v Bukit Jalil SS (National Stadium II, 8pm), SSTMI v UiTm (Taman Daya, 6pm).
   SUNDAY: Premier Division -- UniKL v Sapura (National Stadium I, 6pm), Nur Insafi v Maybank (National Stadium II, 6pm), KLHC v Terengganu (National Stadium II, 8pm).


STANDINGS
PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          6  5  1  0  27  8    16
TNB            6  3  3  0  23  12    12
Maybank    6  4  0  2  21  17    12
Sapura        6  2  2  2  15  14    8
UniKL         6  2  0  4  9   18      6
Tgganu       6  1  1  4  13  19    4
N Insafi      6  0  1  5   6    26     1

Under-16 bronze for Malaysia...

By Singapore Hockey Federation

PAKISTAN are the champions of the 2nd Boys U16 Asia Cup 2013 after emerging triumphant in the final with a 5-3 victory over Bangladesh in front a capacity crowd of close to 1,000 supporters.
    In the end, the title came down to the two strongest teams throughout the four-day event and the final showed that the two were on par with one another.
   The event was the official debut of the new Hockey 5 format and overall, it was a success with offense and speed ruling the action on the field.
  In the first period, Pakistan’s quality clearly shone through as they scored two goals in just seven minutes.
  However, Pakistan’s lead was cancelled out just minutes into the second period. Bangladesh earned a penalty and Pakistan were dealt a big blow when two of their players were given yellow cards. The bookings forced Pakistan to play with just three players for two minutes of play. Bangladesh converted their penalty and made use of their two-man advantage to level the score at 2-2.
   After serving the stipulated two minutes, Pakistan welcomed back the full squad of five and put in a disciplined performance to see them through to a 5-3 win.
  In other matches, Malaysia claimed bronze after beating Japan 2-1 in the 3rd and 4th Placing Match.
   In the 5th and 6th Placing Match, it took a penalty shootout for Chinese-Taipei to clinch 5th spot. They beat Korea 1-0 on shootout after the match had ended 5-5.
   Individual honours were also given out to three outstanding players.
   Muhammad Atiq of Pakistan was named the Top Goalscorer with 20 goals to his name.
   Mhommad Ashraful Islam of Bangladesh won the Player of the Tournament trophy while Malaysia’s Ammad Fahmi Azhar Ruddin earned the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award.

We don't need a consultant, we're fine thank you..

TERENGGNANU team manager Saberi Salleh said they  will stick with the present coaching set-up for the second leg  of the Malaysia Hockey Legue, as he feels his team has  achieved their target even though the results are not very  encouraging.
   The debutantes had secured six national players to  strengthen their campaign, while the rest were mostly their  Malaysia Games players.
    “If you study at the standings, Terengganu look like a flop in  their first Premier Division season. But in reality, the six  national players which we hired, have been very instrumental in helping our Malaysia Games players improve their  game.
   “The management can see this change in the young boys,  and so, we have no plans to hire a consultant or change the  coaching set-up for the second round,” said Saberi.
    Terengganu had paid big bucks to secure Tengku Ahmad  Tajuddin, Fitri Saari, Azlan Misron, Shahrun Nabil, Ismail  Abu and Ameerullah Aziz but have been a flop as they have  only one win and a draw to show in mid-season.
     “Every team has an objective, and ours was to help the  youth in our team to became more confident, matured  players by playing alongside established names.
   “The state government has pledged to continue supporting  our team to play in the MHL, so we are not in for a short term,  but looking to nurture our state-born players into better  players and I am sure the results will follow suit,” said  Saberi.
    Their only win was against Nur Insafi (5-1) while the draw  was against Tenaga Nasional (4-4).
   They will open their second round campaign against  UniKL, who beat them on Sunday 3-1.
    On the other end of the scale, defending champions Kuala  Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) are clear by four points from the  chasing pack of Sapura and Tenaga who have 12 points in  mid-season.
    KLHC play Sapura again on Friday, and a win would almost  hand the League title to them early in the second round.
 
STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          6  5  1  0  27  8    16
TNB            6  3  3  0  23  12    12
Maybank    6  4  0  2  21  17    12
Sapura        6  2  2  2  15  14    8
UniKL         6  2  0  4  9   18      6
Tgganu       6  1  1  4  13  19    4
N Insafi      6  0  1  5   6    26     1

KLHC sweat for win, UniKL break Terengganu..

Pic: KLHC's Harvinder Singh making an attempt against Sapura in Kuantan.
DEFENDING champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) were made to sweat before edging Sapura 3-2 in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League at the Kuantan Stadium yesterday.
    KLHC completed the first round with only one blemish, a 3-3 draw against Tenaga Nasional, and look good to break free in the second round starting this Friday.
   KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj said it was an important win, as they will start the second round against Sapura again.
   “We let in a goal and had to chase back for the win which resulted in unnecessary pressure in the last 10 minutes of the match. However, I am happy that we did not drop points in this match, as we will be playing against Sapura again on Friday in the second leg.
    “It was an important win, as I did not want to give Sapura an edge going into Friday,” said Dharmaraj.
     KLHC were given a scare in the sixth minute when Azrul Hasbullah connected a reverse stick cross to hand Sapura the lead, but Pakistan import Muhammad Imran put them level off a 35th minute penalty corner.
   And two quick goals by Imran in the 48th minute and Chua Boon Huat in the 54th minute gave KLHC some breathing space.
    Sapura’s Khasif Ali converted a penalty corner in the 60th minute to reduce the margin, but could not capitalise on two penalty more penalty corners they won in the 64th and 65th minutes.
   As for UniKL, they finally won their second match in mid-season when Noor Faeez Ibrahim delivered a hat-trick in the 18th, 22nd and 67th minutes. The Terengganu goal was scored by Jivan Mohan in the 40th minute.
   “It was a fantastic performance and I am really proud of my players. They never gave our opponents much space, and we hope to build on this in the second round,” said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
   RESULTS: Premier Division --  Sapura  2 KLHC 3, Terengganu 1 UniKL  3, Tenaga x Maybank x.
    Note: Matches at Pitch I and II of the Kuantan Hockey   Stadium.

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          6  5  1  0  27  8    16
Maybank    5  4  0  1  20  12    12
TNB            5  2  3  0  18  11    9
Sapura        6  2  2  2  15  14    8
UniKL         6  2  0  4  9   18      6
Tgganu       6  1  1  4  13  19    4
N Insafi      6  0  1  5   6    26     1

Pakistan thump Malaysia 6-0 in U-16 semis

KARACHI: Pakistan continued their superb run in the new five-a-side U16 Asia Cup as they marched into the final where they will face Bangladesh for the title in Singapore on Sunday.
   The tournament favourites defeated Malaysia 6-0 in their semi-final yesterday as Mohammad Atiq, who has enjoyed a goal spree, netted a brace in the rout. Sikandar Mustufa, Nohaiz Zahid Malik, Shan Irshad and Junaid Manzoor scored one goal apiece.
   Before their last-four tie, Sri Lanka had received a mauling at the hands of Pakistan, who went rampant in a 12-3 victory in their last group game.
   Earlier, coach Tahir Zaman had been uncertain about the team’s performance in the event even though he stressed that they had trained hard. However, all nerves were settled down when Pakistan got off to a flying start, smashing 16 goals against a hapless Chinese Taipei outfit in their tournament opener to register a 16-1 win.
   In another match, Pakistan saw off the challenge from Japan to register a 7-4 win.
   As many as 10 teams featured in the competition, with Pakistan being placed with Japan, China, Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei in Pool A, while the other group featured Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and Kazakhstan.

The Express Tribune

Tenaga demolist Nur Insafi..

TENAGA Nasional geared up for their crucial match  against Maybank today with a 5-0 demolition of Nur Insafi at  the Kuantan Stadium.
    In the only Premier Division match of the day, the score  could have been into the double digits if not for some super  saves from Nur Insafi goalkeeper Nasir Ahmad.
   However, Tenaga did enough to secure the three points,  which elevated them to the third spot on the standings, and  prime themselves for an attempt to tame the Tigers and move  to second.
     Tenaga scored their first in the 10th minute when Amir  Farid Fuzi broke free in the centre and slipped the ball past  Nur Insafi custodian Nasir Ahmad.
    Faisal Saari then perfected his drag flick in the 18th minute  penalty corner as he sent in a sizzler crashing into the back of  the goal-mouth.
    Former international Amin Rahim then scored the third in  the 20th minute, also off a penalty corner attempt, to take a  3-0 lead into the breather.
    With their crucial match against Maybank today at the  back of their mind, Tenaga slowed the pace after the breather  but still Sallehin Ghani (58th) and Aminuddin Zain (66th)  completed the goal-count.
    Meanwhile, the battle continues at the blue pitch in  Kuantan today, with a high-stakes roll in the Kuala Lumpur  Hockey Club (KLHC) and Sapura encounter.
    Double champions KLHC can’t afford to drop any points in  their last Round One match if they want to keep their grip in  the Premier Division.
     While Sapura, whose only blemish is a 3-5 defeat in the  hands of Maybank, have started to look dangerous as their  foreign signings finally find their form.
    “It will not be an easy match, but I am confident my players  would not disappoint as we aim to end Round One with three  points.
   “This is vital, as the nearest rival (Maybank) is just a point  adrift, and we can’t allow any silp-ups at this crucial stage to  defend our League title,” said KLHC team manager George  Koshy.
    Maybank will also be involved in a cruncher, as they play a  wounded Tenaga Nasional who have been playing below par  even though they have a sterling cast to depend on.
   RESULT: Premier Division -- Nur Insafi  0 TNB  5.
  SUNDAY: Premier Division --  Sapura  v KLHC  (6pm), Terengganu v UniKL  (6pm), Tenaga v Maybank  (8pm).
    Note: Matches at Pitch I and II of the Kuantan Hockey   Stadium.

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          5  4  1  0  24  6    13
Maybank    5  4  0  1  20  12    12
TNB            5  2  3  0  18  11    9
Sapura        5  2  2  1  13  11    8
Tgganu       5  1  1  3  12  16    4
UniKL         5  1  0  4  6   17      3
N Insafi      6  0  1  5  6   26      1

KLHC demolish Terengganu..

DOUBLE champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) demolished Terengganu 5-0 to stamp their mark in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League at the Kuantan Stadium yesterday.
   And at the adjacent pitch, Maybank shadowed the leaders with a 6-3 win over Nur Insafi, and only trail by one point.
    KLHC were expected to face a tough time against Terengganu, who had pinched six of their players in a signing binge, but it turned out to be a washout.
   The defending champions’ Pakistan signings again proved their worth when Muhammad Imran made the ball sing for him in a first minute penalty corner while Muhammad Umar Bhutta made it 2-0 in the 31st minute.
   Mohamed Syamim then scores just before the hooter to give KLHC a healthy lead, and a minute into the restart, Umar Bhutta made it 4-0. Pakistan import Akhtar Ali (40th) completed the demolition.
   Maybank had a tougher fight in the first half, but two own goals by Nur Insafi players and goals from Zulhairi Hashim (14th), Amirullah Zainol (32nd), Shafqat Rasool (51st), and Muhammad Waqas (58th) saw them win comfortably.
   The Nur Insafi goals were scored by Abdul Asim Khan  (24th), Imran Muhammad (40th) and Ateeq Muhammad (45th).
    “It as a very satisfying win as my players dominated most of the match and never allowed Terengganu to recover after taking the first minute lead.
   “We still hold the lead, and after a day’s rest, we will meet Sapura and I believe today’s (yesterday’s) momentum would be carried onto that game as well as we are looking for a win before starting the second round,” said KLHC team manager George Koshy.
    RESULTS: Premier Division -- Terengganu 0 KLHC 5,  Maybank  6 Nur Insafi  3, Sapura 3 UniKL  1.
   Today: Nur Insafi  v TNB  (6pm).
   Tomorrow: Sapura  v KLHC  (6pm), Terengganu  v  UniKL  (6pm),  Tenaga v Maybank  (8pm).
    Note: Matches at Pitch I and II of the Kuantan Hockey  Stadium.

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          5  4  1  0  24  6    13
Maybank    5  4  0  1  20  12    12
Sapura        5  2  2  1  13  11    8
TNB            4  1  3  0  13  11    6
Tgganu       5  1  1  3  12  16    4
UniKL         5  1  0  4  6   17      3
N Insafi      5  0  1  4  6   21      1

Bangladesh beat Malaysia..

BOYS UNDER-16 Asia Cup (Singapore): Malaysia beat Kazakhstan 13-1 and then lose 3-6 to BANGLADESH....
  Bangladesh beat Singapore 7-2, and then hammer Kazakhstan 26-1.. 
  (Note: Its a 5-a-side tournament).

Ace of Aces at KRAT..

ARMED Forces Recreational Golf Club (KRAT) will hold a unique Ace of Aces tournament at their club in Sungai Besi on Saturday.
The tournament will see KRAT members who have achieved hole-in-one over the years competing to nail a car at a designated hole.
“The Ace of Aces tournament was mooted to recognise the achievements of this select band of golfers. Throughout the years since 1962, KRAT have had about 200 members (including 2 ladies) who have achieved a hole-in-one. Their achievement is recorded for posterity, on a special plaque, at the club.
“And so we want to honour their achievements by holding a tournament for all KRAT members who have aced, ir respective of where they had achieved their hole-in-one,” said organising chairman Ujie Badry.
The challenge trophy is donated by KRAT patron, Veali Vagi, who is the High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea.

Maybank looking good at the turn..

THE Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division will  complete its first round in Kuantan today, with Maybank  import Shakeel Abbasi confident his mates will not disappoint.
    Maybank are just one point adrift of double champions  Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), and are good for three  points against Nur Insafi today; while they will have to play  above par to beat Tenaga on Sunday.
    “We have only lost KLHC (3-4) so far, and that was mainly  because there was still some loose understanding between  the local and foreign players then.
   “However, we have overcome that after a few matches and  it showed during our last match against UniKL (Maybank  won 4-1) and I believe we will be stronger in Kuantan and  also the return leg,” said former Pakistan skipper Shakeel.
   The other Pakistan signings in Maybank are Muhammad  Irfan, Muhammad Waqas and Shafqat Rasool.
    And for league leaders KLHC, even though they lost six key  players to Terengganu, their encounter today will be re garded as ‘just another match.’
    The six, Azlan Misron, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, Shahrun  Nabil, Ismail Abu, Fitri Saari and Ameerullah Aziz left KLHC  to better deals in Terengganu, but have not ben able to  produce results as the East Coast side has only one win and a  draw to show after four matches.
    “Off the field we are all friends and what is vital is the three  points. We are focused on getting the points and it will not be  easy as Terengganu will ge out to redeem themselves," said  KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
    “I expect a close match as they have players who can cause  havoc if allowed to dictate terms. On the positive note, my  team has developed a good understanding (foreign and local)  despite a limited period of training together,” said Dharmaraj.
   TODAY: Premier Division -- Terengganu v KLHC (6pm),  Maybank  v Nur Insafi  (6pm), Sapura v UniKL  (8pm).
   Saturday: Nur Insafi  v TNB  (6pm).
   Sunday: Sapura  v KLHC  (6pm), Terengganu  v  UniKL  (6pm),  Tenaga v Maybank  (8pm).
    Note: Matches at Pitch I and II of the Kuantan Hockey  Stadium.

STANDINGS
PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          4  3  1  0  19  6    10
Maybank    4  3  0  1  14  9      9
TNB            4  1  3  0  13  11    6
Sapura        4  1  2  1  10  10    5
Tgganu       4  1  1  2  12  11    4
UniKL         4  1  0  3  5  14      3
N Insafi      4  0  1  3  3  15      1

Terengganu find they grey matter..

IT turned out to be a Pakistan weekend in the Premier  Division of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), while million- ringgit team Terengganu finally realise their folly after four  matches.
    Sapura, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club and Maybank all  relied on their imports to deliver the goals, while Terengganu  fell yet again.
   Terengganu had gone on a buying spree before the MHL  started and netted national players Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin,  Fitri Saari, Azlan Misron and Shahrun Nabil while Ismail Abu  and Ameerullah Aziz were also good buys.
   However, after a 4-4 draw against Tenaga, they lost 1-2 to  Maybank, 2-4 to Sapura with their only win being 5-1 against  a struggling Nur Insafi.
   The fault was that Terengganu failed to secure a high- caliber coach to direct their powerful signings.
    Terengganu team manager and secretary of Terengganu  HA Saberi Salleh said that they were in the process of looking  for a consultant to help the team in the coaching aspect.
    “But that does not mean we have lost faith in coach Nik  Rozemi (Nik Mohammad), only we prefer to have someone  advise on tactics as well as provide a fresh impetus to the  team,” said Saberi.
    "We have a good side, no doubt, and although there is a gap  in terms of experience between the youngsters and the more  senior players, that is no excuse.
   “Already there is a big margin between us and the top two  teams in the MHL and we cannot allow it to widen. Therefore  we feel that the presence of an experienced person, who has  knowledge of teams in the MHL, will help us plan our strategy  better.
   “We are learning on how to run a team in the MHL and need  all the help we can get. We have identified a candidate and  are talking to him.”
     And while Terengganu languish at the bottom bracket, the  other teams are enjoying their foreign signings.
    On Sunday, Sapura beat Terengganu with goals from  Pakistan’s Khasif Ali and Muhammad Zubair. KLHC powered  past Nur Insafi 7-0 with Australian Timothy James, and  Pakistanis Umar Bhutta and Muhammad Imran (two goals)  playing a major role.
    As for Maybank, they would have lost to UniKL instead of  winning 4-1, if not for goals from Pakistan’s Shafqat Rasool,  Muhammad Waqas and Muhammad Imran.
   The only team which has six Pakistan players but have yet  to win a match is Nur Insafi.
    RESULT: Division One -- Bukit Jalil SS x Sunday 2030 x.

STANDINGS
PREMIER DIVISION

                   P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC          4  3  1  0  19  6    10
Maybank    4  3  0  1  14  9      9
TNB            4  1  3  0  13  11    6
Sapura        4  1  2  1  10  10    5
Tgganu       4  1  1  2  12  11    4
UniKL         4  1  0  3  5  14      3
N Insafi      4  0  1  3  3  15      1

DIVISION ONE
                         P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
TNB T'bolts     4  3  1  0  14  3  10
UiTM               3  3  0  0  13  4    9
Uniten KPT     4  2  0  2  7     6    6
MBI                 4  1  1  2  11  11   4
Sunday           3  1  0  2  5     9     3
SSTMI            4  0  0  4  4    21    0
BJSS               0  0  0  0  0    0      0