The juniors will carry the Felda logo on their jerseys for the duration of the tournament, starting with New Zealand on Dec 6. The other teams in Malaysia’s Group are South Africa and England.
From the list of 18 selected for the World Cup, Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin and Hafiz Zainol were born and raised in Felda settlements in Perak (Trolak) and Pahang (Jengka) respectively.
“We are going to New Delhi with a mission, and not punching bags. I believe the boys can reach the top-six target set for them,” said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the mock cheque presentation in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Felda sponsorship will consists of players’ kit, energy supplements and other nutrition during training and the Junior World Cup.
Felda Director-General Datuk Faizoull Ahmad presented the mock cheque for RM500,000 to Tengku Abdullah.
“Felda is proud to sponsor the National Juniors. The amount may not be much but it is our social responsibility to see that our national players are well prepared for the Junior World Cup. We are here to leave no stone unturned,” said Faizoull.
“It is our hope that the team performs well in the World Cup against some of the best teams in the world and the players make the nation proud as well. The Junior World Cup is a prestigious event and Felda is very supportive of the development of our hockey teams at local the international level,” added Faizoull.
MHC also presented cash incentives of RM4,000 each, to all the players and coaches for finishing second in the Sultan of Johor Cup.
“I have a very close relation ship with Felda, particularly the settlements in Pahang, as I grew up visiting and watching the settlers grow in strength.
“On behalf of MHC, I would like to thank Felda for their continuous support to the development of hockey in the country.
“This sponsorship epitomises their commitment, belief and confidence in the National Juniors,” said Tengku Abdullah.
