Grassroots neglected, says official

01/05/2002

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) not only needs a top overhaul, but
their engine room also needs a thorough clean-up.
That was the candid opinion of a veteran hockey official who declined to
be named because, just like the rest of the hockey fraternity, he was not
"keen on taking on the royalty head on."
The royalty in this case is MHF president Sultan Azlan Shah who has been
at the helm since 1981.
"Very little has been done at the grassroots by the State HA's, but
nobody is bothered about it because the president is not complaining about
it.
"I strongly feel that, for hockey to thrive in the next 10 years, the
president and his men must make way for new blood," said the official.
He also agreed that the best man to replace the Sultan is his eldest
son, Raja Nazrin Shah.
"When Raja Nazrin took over as president of the Perak Football
Association two years ago, he brought in RM5 million and made some
changes. I am not saying that a president's job is only to bring in the
money, but it is a vital part for the survival of any sport in the
country.
"For MHF to survive and then become stronger, we need someone at the
helm who can fill up their coffers and not just let the office bearers run
the show as to how they see it fit," said the official.
MHF were in deep financial trouble just days before the Kuala Lumpur
World Cup as not many sponsors were willing to step in for the pinnacle of
world hockey. But somehow, they managed to cut even in the end - thanks to
the strong fan support who filled up the National Hockey Stadium to the
brim.
The official also said that Raja Nazrin, if he succeeds his father,
should come out with fresh ideas not only to revamp the State HA's, but
also change the present election process in MHF.
"He must change the election process and maybe use the proposed changes
to the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) as his model. He should be
given a free hand to select his secretary and office bearers. Only by
revemping the engine room of the MHF, can the sport be placed on the right
track again."
MHF have been running on automatic mode as the presedent is said to be a
mere figure head and decisions are made by his elected officials.
MHF did not hold a council meeting for the past three years and bypassed
the chairman of the competitions committee, Datuk Abd Jalil Abdul Majid
and organised the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) and called for the Junior
League entries without the chairman's knowledge.
The official also lamented on the `slowly dying MHL' because not a
single team outside the Klang Valley had shown interest in it.
"Since it (MHL) has killed off the Razak Cup, why didn't the State HA's
send their teams for the MHL. They can participate by sourcing for
sponsors and use their sponsors name to compete in the League.
"Success does not come overnight and if the states do not start a
league, the source of talent will dry up. MHF are well known over the
world for being good organisers, but it is useless if they can't instruct
their HA's to organise simple leagues in their own backyard."
Kuala Lumpur HA (KLHA) are the only ones with an active league which has
been running for the past 15 years. They have Division One to Four in
their stable and are now planning to run a schools league.
KLHA secretary V. Rajamanickam said that their success did not come
overnight.
"We have been actively running the league for the past 15 years and the
present MHL teams like Sapura, Andersen Sports Club and Tenaga Nasional
Bhd all rose from the bottom of the KLHA League to where they are today.
"If the other states want to start a league, they must not think of
short-term gains because it will never work. They must allow everybody a
chance to try their hand in the sport by organising a league and who
knows, hockey might get a lease of life," said Rajamanickam.
jugjet@nstp.com.my
(END)

NSC puts hockey academy on hold

30/04/2002

THE National Sports Council (NSC) has placed the proposal to build a
hockey academy at the Tun Razak Stadium in cold storage, and will only re-
consider their decision when the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) clean
up their act.
NSC director general Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad said yesterday that he is
not willing to talk about the academy until MHF start thinking seriously
about development at the grassroots.
Mazlan looked fed-up with the current situation in the MHF, who have not
called for a council meeting for three years and also did not call for a
competitions committee meeting before organising the MHL or calling for
Junior Hockey League entries.
"The current situation needs to be cleaned up before we (NSC) are even
willing to think about a hockey academy. What if we spend millions to
build an academy at the Tun Razak Stadium but only a handful of students
enrol? What if it is not professionally run? Who is going to answer to the
taxpayers?," questioned Mazlan.
A proposal to build a hockey academy was made in January and it was said
that Ho Koh Chye will be a key figure in its daily running. But Koh Chye
has since quit the sport and the NSC have frozen the proposal.
Mazlan was justified in raising the above questions because the MHF
coaching committee's course at the NSC seminar room yesterday only saw the
presence of eight coaches.
Invitations were sent out to 30 coaches who are handling teams from the
Malaysia Hockey League, Razak Cup, Malaysia Games, Level Three Coaches and
Sports Schools - and the organisers were expecting at least 30 to attend
the day-long seminar, but national coach Paul Lissek and Stephen van
Hiuzen were clearly disappointed with the lack of interest.
"Just look at the coaching course held today. Only eight coaches turned
up. What if the academy receives the same response?," asked Mazlan.
Paul Lissek did not hide his feelings when he said: "It is certainly
disheartening to note that only an assistant coach form Andersen Sports
Club (Eugene Lee) and the Royal Malay Regiment coach (Sjn Hashim Yusoff)
bothered to turn up from the MHL.
"The rest of the coaches from the MHL did not turn up and I was told
that some of them gave excuses, but I do not know what happened to the
Malaysia Games coaches.
"But the show (seminar) must go on and those who did not attend are the
losers, not me," said Lissek.
The coaches who turned up were Stephen van Huizen, Yahya Atan, Kon Chen
Choong (Bukit Jalil Sports School), Izwan Suhardi (Malaysia Games,
Pahang), Tai Beng Hai (National under-16 coach), Benedict Arries (Malaysia
Games, Pahang), Eugene Lee (Andersen Sports Club), S. Prakash (Bukit Jalil
Sports Schol), Jamaluddin Osman (Bukit Jalil Sports School), Sgt Hashim
Yusoff (Royal Malay Regiment), Paul Lisek.
MHF secretary S. Satgunam could not be reached for comments.
jugjet@nstp.com.my
(END)

Umpires should not shoulder all the blame

29/04/2002

UMPIRES officiating at the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) have come under
heavy fire from team managers and coaches for making dubious, and
sometimes silly decisions on the pitch, but the blame does not rest on
their shoulders alone.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation Umpires Board (MHFUB) have done little
over the years to impove the standard of umpiring in the country and on
Friday, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) secretary V. Rajamanickam
burst out after watching Maninderjit Singh of Andersen being sent to the
sin bin for a mild tackle.
"What kind of umpiring is that. That fault only deserves a warning, a
yellow card is simply to much," said Raja.
After cooling down a little, Raja said he does not blame the umpires,
because the MHFUB have been doing little to upgrade their standard. He
also pointed out cases of souble standard when it comes to promoting the
umpires.
"For the past five years, 2,500 candidates sat for the umpires
examinations nationwide but only 250 have made the grade because the
passing mark of 85 per cent is simply too high.
"If the MHFUB is serious about having a larger and more capable pool of
umpires, they should lower the passing mark, which was set in the 60s, so
that more interested candidates can start blowing the whistle," said Raja.
Off the 250, most of whom are teachers and college students who lose
interest after a few years because the rules of upgrading are too archaic
and rigid, only about 10 umpires are now actively officiating at matches
and sometines, an umpire has to blow two matches in two days involving the
same team.
On double standards, Raja pointed out the promotion of two umpires in
Sabah during a zonal competition while one umpire in Kuala Lumpur was
referred to the rules book when the time came for upgrading.
"There is a two-year waiting period before an umpire can be upgraded to
the next level and this is where we lose some of them. Iskandar Rashdan
Mohamed Ali was appointed for upgrading during the Champion Schools in
Malacca but the MHFUB reversed their decision when they found out that he
has not completed the two-year waiting period.
"On one hand, they bend the rules by promoting umpires at zonal
competitions, wheres the MHFUB rules state that umpires can only be
upgraded during national tournaments, but in Iskandar's case, they brought
out the constitution book and stopped a budding umpire from being upgrad
ed," said Raja.
Raja also revealed that there was no refresher course from the MHFUB
before the MHL so that umpires who have not been regularly blowing on the
pitch, could catch up with the latest.
"What is the MHFUB trying to do? They are slowly killing off interested
umpires and by not conducting a refresher course, they have made the
umpiring at the MHL, a mockery," said Raja.
Maybank's Wallace Tan and Bank Simpanan Nasional's C. Paramalingam are
some of the coaches who have hit out at the standard of umpiring in the
MHL.
"If the chairman of the MHFUB (V. Kulasingam) does not do something
fast, in 10 years time they are going to find it difficult even to find
umpires for the MHL," said Raja.
To strenghten his case, Raja pointed out that Mej Jagit Singh from Perak
obtained 92 per cent in the 1997 umpires theory examinations and was later
upgarded to Class One but he gave up umpiring in 2000.
And in 1997 when Jagjit emerged top of the class, only 12 passed the
theory examinations out of 301 candidates because the passing mark of 85
per cent was simply too high.
"In Europe, they are not so rigid about the passing mark. Maybe the
MHFUB should meet and amend their constitution so that the passing mark
can be lowered.
"They (MHFUB) should also start promoting interested umpires based on
their performance and do away with the two-year waiting period which is
killing the profession," said Raja.
jugjet@nstp.com.my
(END)

BSN give Jolly Lads the sorrows

28/04/2002

BSN ..............3 JOLLY LADS ......... 1
RAMD ........... 3 BCB ................ 4
BANK Simpanan Nasional (BSN) played at half-pace but they were still good
enough to beat Jolly Lads Sports Club 3-1 in a Malaysia Hockey League
match at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
BSN played without skipper Lee Sien Lam, who was suspended for one
match, and rested their striker Rodhanizam Radzi because coach C.
Paramalingam wanted to rest him for the crucial match against Andersen
Sports Club today.
BSN only won one penalty corner, in the 25th minute, and it was duly
converted by Pakistan import Sohail Abbas.
The first BSN goal was scored in the 12th minute when P. Prabahkaran
made a field attempt. Three minutes later, Pakistani Kashif Jawad fired
home a field goal and it looked like Jolly Lads were in for a hiding.
But BSN played more cautiously in the second half and Jolly Lads became
aggresive and pulled one back in the 44th minute when Hasmadi Ismail was
left unmarked in the semicircle.
BSN are joint third with Andersen in the standings and even the goal
difference is identical. So the fans can expect an explosive match at the
Tun Razak Stadium today as BSN have two Pakistani imports while Andersen
have two Indian players in Dhanraj Pillay and Len Ayappa.
Today: Bank Simpanan Nasional v Andersen Sports Club (Tun Razak Stadium,
6.0), Bumiputra-Commerce Bank v Sapura (KL Hockey Stadium, 6.0), Tenaga
Nasional v Jolly Lads Sports Club (KL Hockey Stadium, 8.0), Navy v Maybank
(Tun Razak Stadium, 8.0).
jugjet@nstp.com.my
(END)

Maybank hold star-studded Andersen

27/04/2002

TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches in
the second round of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) at the Kuala Lumpur
Hockey Stadium last night when they beat Royal Malay Regiment (RMR) 7-1.
TNB's goals were scored by Nor Saiful Zaini (10th, 67th), Madzli Ikmar
(12th, 33rd), Azlan Misron (20th), Mahinder Singh (25th), Syayrim Uda
Karim (35th). RMR's only goal was scored by Sulaiman Bujang (44th).
While a win from TNB was expected because they were up against easier
opponents, Maybank almost upset a star-studded Andersen Sports Club at the
same venue.
Maybank were easily the better side and they controlled the match from
the first whistle but their first half attempt went to waste as Suhaimi
Ibrahim and skipper Suhairi Saidi fumbled in the semicircle.
Andersen, with Indian imports Len Ayappa and Dhanraj Pillay in their
ranks, could do nothing right and were lucky not to have conceded any
goals in the first half.
Andersen used Dhanraj and former national skipper Mirnawan Nawawi as
their twin strikers but bad understanding and too much of individual play
made them look like a third class outfit.
Maybank started the second half with more determination and it paid off
in the 48th minute when Suhaimi made a solo attempt and beat goalkeeper
Saiful Azli.
Andersen looked like they were heading towards troubled waters but a
minute later, their penalty corner specialist Len Ayappa delivered yeat
again with a stinging flick to pull off an equaliser.
Len has scored 16 goals in the League so far but just as he was feeling
comfortable at the top, local hero S. Kuhan toppeled him.
Kuhan flicked home seven goals yesterday against bottom placed Navy and
his personal goal tally now stands at 19.
Sapura won 13-3 and their goals were scored by S. Kuhan (12th, 15th,
17th, 21st, 26th, 46th, 64th), Nishel Kumar (14th, 61st), Azlin Fairuz
(24th), Sukhbir Singh (31st), Lam Mun Fatt (57th, 62).
Navy's goals were scored by Gagarin Mohamed (6th, 29th) and Mohamed Noor
Said (19th).
Tomorrow: Jolly Lads Sports Club v Bank Simpanan Nasional (Tun Razak
Stadium, 6pm), RAMD v Bumiputra-Commerce Bank (Tun Razak Stadium, 8pm).
Sunday: Bank Simpanan Nasional v Andersen Sports Club (Tun Razak
Stadium, 6pm), Bumiputra-Commerce Bank v Sapura (KL Hockey Stadium, 6pm),
Tenaga Nasional v Jolly Lads Sports Club (KL Hockey Stadium, 8pm), Navy v
Maybank (Tun Razak Stadium, 8pm).
jugjet@nstp.com.my
Results and standings
Sapura 13 Navy 3
Maybank 1 Andersen SC 1
Tenaga 7 RAMD 1
(END)