Monday, June 18, 2018

MHC Competitions Committee yet to welcome new members

KUALA LUMPUR: After writing a 'Thank You' note to eight competitions committee members on Feb 26, manager Brian Fernandez has yet to send out a 'Welcome' notice to new members until Monday.
  The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have been running their skeleton crew competitions committee since then, chaired by George Koshy and managed by Fernandez.
  As a re-cap, the competitions committee had “retired” eight of their members about four months ago after their term expired, and are still looking for new blood for another term.
  Manager Brian Fernandez had said back then, that he was instructed to write the “Thank You” emails to all their members by chairman Koshy.
  The previous members, who served for a year, said they only attended one meeting on June 10 last year.
  And now, the 'competitions committee' has recommended to do away with Division One in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) next season, leaving about 10 clubs in jeopardy.
  The plan is to host only the Premier Division, and this has not gone down well with many states who run clubs as well.
  A state secretary who declined to be named questioned the validity of the competitions committee's decision.
  "Have they recruited new members from states to fill up seats vacated by the eight members? If not, who decided to remove Division One from the MHL?," questioned the secretary.
  When contacted, Kooshy said: "After the new Competitions committee members are informed and they accept their appointment, I’m sure MHC will update the media.
  "Any changes (to the MHL format) will only be known after it (the matter) has been deliberated by the competitions committee at their next meeting," said the chairman.
  The competitions committee were tasked with revamping the sagging MHL and they decided to only host the Premier Division next year.
  Eight teams have registered for the Premier Division and they are  University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Terengganu Hockey Team (THT), Maybank, Tenaga Nasional, TNB Thunderbolts, Nur Insafi, Penang Hockey Club and UiTM.
  Last season, six teams competed in Premier Division while 13 teams in two groups in Division One.
  But the MHC are only interested in about 10-12 teams to play in the Premier.
   Among the Division One clubs which will be hit hard if MHC carry out their plan are Politeknik-KPT, PJCC Tigers, Pahang Juniors, Kedah HC, RMAF Rajawali, Selangor and Ipoh City Council -- to name a few.