MHC treasurer Radha: Give us two weeks to settle bills

MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) treasurer Datuk N. Radhakrishnan yesterday confirmed that they body has many unsettled bills to honour, but gave an assurance that everybody will receive their due in the next two weeks.
  Officials, umpires, clubs and national players cried foul last weekend when their allowances, winning purse, bonuses and other monetary promises have fallen on deaf ears since last year.
  MHC are said to be in the red, but president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will fork out some cash and settle the matter before bowing out of the Confederation.
  "Yes, whatever that has been written about non-payment on our part is true, but the wheels are already turning to make sure payment is made in the next two weeks," said Radhakrishnan.
  The treasurer met Tengku Abdullah, together with MHC secretary general Datuk Johari Aziz to settle the matter.
  "We have contacted some of the sponsors who have yet to oblige their pledges and the outcome is positive. Also, Tengku Abdullah will fork out some personal cash to settle the overdue issues.
  Umpires and match officials, about 50 of them, have yet to receive allowances and traveling costs for officiating at the Malaysia Hockey League which ended in December.
  Each MHL umpire and official is owed at least RM3,000 by the MHC.
  Even match winnings for the top-four teams in the MHL has yet to be settled. The MHC owe TNB CUP clubs a whopping RM190,000. Champions Terengganu Hockey Team (Rm70,000), runners-up Kuala Lumpur HA (RM50,000), bronze medallists Tenaga Nasional (RM40,000) and fourth-placed Maybank (RM30,000) have yet to see the promised purse.
  "I understand the hardships faced by individuals and clubs because of late payment, and apologise for the delay. Rest assured that we are doing all we can to honour everybody we owe," said Radhakrishnan.
  MHC al;so owe TNB CUP roll of honour players Fitri Saari (best player of the final), Faizal Saari (top-scorer, 17 goals) and Hafizuddin Othman (best goalkeeper) RM2,000 each.
  Tenaga are the title sponsors for MHL and other domestic tournaments, to the tune of RM2 million per-year.
   Satates are also still awaiting for the promised subsidy of RM3,000 each for the Raja Noora Ashikin Cup in November.
   On the player-side Faizal, after scoring 12 goals and being named the Best Player in the Singapore World League, refused to attend training since because bonus promises made by certain MHC officials were never realised.
   MHC are at the verge of finalising their election date, and Tengku Abdullah has made a stand of not seeking re-election for the president's post as he wants to concentrate on his Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) president's post, as well as make a move to be elected as an executive board member of FIFA.
  The MHC are said to be in the red to the tune of RM2million, because they also owe at least three officials about RM100,000 each after they forked out personal cash to bail out overseas trips as well as promised bonuses to players for qualifying for the World Cup.