MSN perlu perjelaskan
Oleh Lukman Salleh, Ahmad Khawari Isa dan Irwan Shafrizan Ismail
 Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad dan Datuk Sieh Kok Chi |
Mazlan, Sieh minta badan induk lebih telus ke mana wang dibelanja
BELENGGU 'hutang' kini menghimpit Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) wajar dituruti penjelasan terperinci dan telus mengenai projek serta program dibiayai hingga mengakibatkan kantung badan induk itu kini hampir kosong.
Tambahan pula, ada perkhabaran tidak sampai tiga tahun sebelumnya, kedudukan kewangan MSN begitu ampuh tetapi kini berdepan situasi kritikal
Desakan supaya penelitian rapi dan penjelasan telus itu diluahkan bekas Ketua Pengarah MSN, Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad dan Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Datuk Sieh Kok Chi.
"Sejak saya bersara pada Ogos 2005, sudah dua ketua pengarah MSN dilantik. Ketika memegang jawatan itu, sebelum merangka program, saya sentiasa pastikan ada peruntukan untuk menjayakannya. Jika tiada wang, tiada program.
"Ketika itu juga, saya tidak belanja 100 peratus peruntukan. Saya berjimat dengan melaksanakan program dirancang secara total, tetapi pada kos lebih rendah.
"Ia membolehkan lebihan itu disimpan MSN. Kerana itu, ada persatuan marahkan saya kerana mereka berpendapat, jika RM2 juta sudah diluluskan, mengapa tidak belanjakan semua RM2 juta itu.
"Rasional saya mudah. Jika mampu dilaksanakan dengan kos lebih rendah, itulah yang perlu dilakukan. Ia membolehkan kewangan MSN sentiasa stabil dan dapat membina tabungan.
"Mana tahu, jika peruntukan kerajaan dipotong kemudiannya, MSN masih ada tabungan demi memastikan program yang dirancang, mampu diteruskan," katanya.
Kerana itulah, Mazlan mengakui terkejut dengan pendedahan Berita Harian Sukan betapa MSN kini 'berhutang' dengan banyak persatuan sukan kebangsaan.
"Saya hairan bagaimana MSN gagal melunaskan tunggakan bayaran. Persatuan sukan adalah rakan penting MSN dan seharusnya tidak dilayan sebegitu," katanya.
Kok Chi pula mendesak MSN bersikap lebih telus demi memastikan wibawa dan martabat badan induk itu terpelihara.
"Sebelum ini saya ada dengar mengenai kedudukan dana kewangan MSN yang cukup banyak tetapi ketika ini semua sumber itu sudah kehabisan.
"Begitu juga dengan perkhabaran sebahagian sumber kewangan MSN digunakan untuk membiayai beberapa program yang tiada kaitan dengan sukan berprestasi tinggi.
"Justeru, MSN perlu tampil memberikan penjelasan, apatah lagi beberapa persatuan sukan sendiri mengakui MSN masih tertunggak bayaran terhadap mereka," kata Kok Chi.
Kok Chi turut mengesahkan MSN belum melangsaikan bayaran hampir RM1 juta bagi kos pembiayaan atlit ke Sukan Asia, Doha 2006.
"MOM dimaklumkan bahawa MSN berdepan masalah aliran tunai, tetapi tidaklah seperti masalah besar (yang didedahkan) ketika ini. Jika perlu buat audit, ia harus dilakukan demi memastikan MSN badan yang lebih telus," katanya.
Sementara itu, Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, memberi jaminan akan mendapatkan gambaran sebenar terhadap masalah hutang tertunggak itu.
"Saya akan berjumpa Ketua Pengarah MSN, Datuk Zolkples Embong bagi mendapat laporan terperinci mengenai kemelut itu," katanya ketika ditemui di Felda Tembangau, Bera, semalam. "Saya akan meneliti isu yang dibangkitkan dan berharap ia dapat diselesaikan demi kepentingan sukan negara. Biarpun diselubungi kemelut hutang, persiapan atlit tidak terjejas, malah berjalan seperti biasa mengikut jadual latihan mereka," katanya.
DSN memang wajar dikaji semula
SAYA menyokong penuh usaha Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) yang mahu mengkaji semula Dasar Sukan Negara (DSN) dan yakin jawatankuasa yang dipengerusikan Ketua Setiausaha KBS, Datuk Mohd Yasin Mohd Salleh mampu melaksanakan tugas itu dalam tempoh enam bulan seperti yang ditetapkan.
Ini kerana DSN yang diluluskan 20 tahun lalu memerlukan banyak input baru dan penyesuaian dengan perkembangan sukan semasa, ditambah dengan perlantikan Menteri Belia dan Sukan yang baru, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaacob, baru-baru ini.
Paling penting, DSN perlu mengenal pasti dan disesuaikan dengan perkembangan semasa, khususnya semua jenis sukan baru atau sukan yang belum popular kerana ketika DSN dibentangkan pada 1986 dan diluluskan pada 1988, banyak jenis sukan yang popular ketika ini, belum wujud atau masih di peringkat pengenalan.
Amat jelas akibat daripada dasar yang sudah lapuk, beberapa jenis sukan turut ketinggalan dan dengan kajian terbaru, sukan yang dijangka popular boleh dikenal pasti dan dimasukkan dalam dasar baru itu.
Berasaskan pengalaman dan pelaksanaan DSN itu sendiri, sukan lasak seperti merentas desa (orienteering) serta sukan ekstrim yang lain, kurang diberikan perhatian mendalam kerana masalah persatuan selain dianggap tidak popular. Namun kini, jelas sukan lasak dan ekstrim amat popular di kalangan remaja.
Apa juga penemuannya nanti, kajian DSN tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah bagi menjamin sukan berpotensi diberikan perhatian sewajarnya dan hendaklah selari dengan matlamat negara menjadikan sukan sebagai satu daripada budaya dan cabang pelancongan dan industri.
Selain DSN, isu lain yang penting ditangani Ismail Sabri ialah sama ada Malaysia perlu memulaukan Sukan Olimpik Beijing selepas temasya 2008 itu dikatakan dicemari isu hak asasi manusia dan protes anti China yang sedang berlaku di Tibet.
Isu alam sekitar juga dikaitkan dengan Sukan Olimpik Beijing, yang dijadual berlangsung 8-24 Ogos depan.
Biarpun sejauh ini nampaknya pendirian Malaysia ialah sukan tidak wajar diheret sama dalam permasalahan politik, sejarah membuktikan negara pernah memulaukan temasya Sukan Olimpik Moscow 1980 kerana membantah serangan Kesatuan Soviet ke atas Afghanistan, sekali gus menafikan kemunculan skuad bola sepak dan hoki yang layak beraksi.
Dengan 16 atlit yang sudah layak ke Beijing dan angka itu mungkin meningkat apabila senarai kelayakan untuk badminton diumumkan awal Mei depan, Ismail Sabri dan seluruh rakyat Malaysia pasti mengharapkan emas pertama Olimpik menjadi realiti.
MTF mahu konflik diakhiri dengan adil
Oleh Meor Hisham Zulkifli
MENGAGIHKAN peluang sama rata kepada semua pemimpin generasi baru bagi menerajui sukan taekwondo dilihat sebagai jalan penyelesaian terbaik untuk menamatkan rasa curiga di kalangan kepemimpinan yang ada ketika ini.
Presiden Persekutuan Taekwondo Malaysia (MTF), Datuk Nadzim Razak berkata, memang menjadi hasrat semua pihak untuk melihat sukan itu bernaung di bawah satu payung kerana ia pasti memberi suntikan semangat yang lebih besar di kalangan atlit.
“Secara dasarnya, semua pihak ingin menamatkan kemelut ini. Andai mencapai kata sepakat dan segala isu termasuk hak mengundi yang lebih meluas di kalangan ahli dan kelab dapat diselesaikan, kita sedia membubarkan persatuan yang ada bagi membentuk gabungan baru.
“Namun segala-galanya kembali kepada konsep keadilan supaya semua pihak yang terbabit merasakan diri mereka tidak terpinggir berpunca daripada perlembagaan yang kita lihat sudah lapuk,” katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.
Beliau mengulas mengenai perkembangan mesyuarat jawatankuasa sementara yang dirangka khusus bagi menangani kemelut sukan taekwondo selepas kenyataan bercanggah dikeluarkan pejabat Pesuruhjaya Sukan dan bekas Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman sebelum ini.
Pada Julai tahun lalu, Azalina mengumumkan Persatuan Taekwondo Malaysia (MTA) dipulangkan hak sebagai badan induk utama sukan itu di negara ini, namun Pejabat Pesuruhjaya Sukan dalam suratnya Februari lalu, menamakan MTF selaku badan induk.
Memburukkan lagi keadaan, taekwondo turut mempunyai satu lagi kelab iaitu Persatuan Kelab-Kelab Taekwondo Malaysia (MTCA) manakala MTA pula terpecah kepada dua kelompok yang masing-masing mengaku menjadi presiden yang sah.
Badminton: Progress at last for Koo-Tan
National Grand Prix men’s doubles champions (from left) Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and runners-up Ong Soon Hock-Tan Bin Shen pose with their mock cheques in Alor Star on Saturday
KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, given their calibre, winning the National Grand Prix men's doubles title is nothing to shout about but the struggling pair must surely be praying that Saturday's triumph in Alor Star is the start of bigger and better things to come.
Even then, it did not start well for the pair as they were shocked by Gan Teik Chai-Lin Woon Fui in the preliminary round but they finally showed some character in overcoming World No 3 Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in the last four and edging Ong Soon Hock-Tan Bin Shen for the title.
However, the road is still long and narrow and Kien Keat-Boon Heong must use their minor triumph as motivation to turn their international career around.
The Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in Johor Baru on Apr 15-20 holds the answer for Kien Keat-Boon Heong who should strike in the same tournament where their slump began exactly a year ago.
Their wobbles continued from there on and Johor Baru should be where they start afresh.
World No 1 Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China and No 2 Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia have skipped the tournament and this has increased Kien Keat-Boon Heong's chances of winning their first international title of the year.
On another note, Lee Chong Wei's sixth consecutive national title reinforces his total domination of the local scene and, more alarmingly, exposes the lack of quality in the men's singles.
It is hard to see anyone challenging Chong Wei for, at least, another couple of years and this is something the BA of Malaysia (BAM) should worry about.
Bowling: Kelvin-Li Jane shine in Canon Cup triumph
Kelvin produced a flawless performance to upset ROW’s Andrew Frawley of Australia 256-211 to give Malaysia a 2-1 lead. Pic: HAIRUL ANUAR ABD RAHIM
NATIONAL back-up bowlers Kelvin Keong and Sin Li Jane were the unlikely heroes as they set the course for Malaysia to defeat the Rest-of-the-World (ROW) team 4-1 in the second edition of the Canon Cup at the Pyramid Megalanes in Bandar Sunway yesterday.
Malaysia got off to a losing start when Daniel Lim fell 229-214 to ROW's Jason Yeong-Nathan of Singapore.
Li Jane, who finished third in Saturday's Malaysian International Open, sizzled in the next match to post six strikes en route to a 224-218 victory over ROW's Vanessa Fung of Hong Kong.
Kelvin, who answered the national back-up call-up just last week, produced a flawless performance to upset ROW's Andrew Frawley of Australia 256-211 for a 2-1 lead.
Zulmazran Zulkifli made it 4-1 for Malaysia when he beat former world champion Mika Luoto of Finland 222-183.
The Malaysian team picked up the winner's cheque of US$10,000 (RM32,038.50) while the ROW received US$5,000 (RM16,019.25) for their efforts.
"I still can't believe that I'm donning national colours now. If I hadn't finished among the top in the recent national back-up roll-off two weeks ago, I wouldn't be here lifting the trophy now," said the 23-year-old Kelvin yesterday.
Cycling: Azizul, Josiah get their Beijing ticket
Azizul Hasni Awang beat several former world champions to win his heat on Saturday.
AZIZUL Hasni Awang and Josiah Ng are through to the Olympic Games, doubling Malaysia's record in qualifiers from the last Games but that could change if Malaysia make the cut in the team sprint.
That happened before 2006 Asian champion Rizal Tisin was eliminated after finishing last in his heat and Josiah finished fourth in his heat to make the repechages where he finished third and failed to make the semi-final.
In his semi-final, Azizul was blocked and almost crashed in the final lap, then managed to hold his ground, but having lost momentum, finished last.
With 24 riders making the Olympics in the keirin, Josiah is unlikely to drop from his eighth ranking prior to the World Championships into a position of threat, while Azizul, who was 23rd, is likely to rise a few places, having finished 12th overall in Manchester.
The team sprint trio of Edrus Yunus, Josiah and Azizul too seem in a good position despite only finishing 15th on the opening day of the World Championships.
"Having checked further, I don't think we will drop further than 12th in the world rankings, meaning it is good enough for us to go to the Olympics," said Naim.
Hockey / JHL: BJSS nick Tenaga for title
BJSS boys celebrate after beating Tenaga Nasional 4-3 for the JHL Milo Cup at Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium yesterday. Pic: KHALID REDZA
BUKIT Jalil Sports School (BJSS) beat Tenaga Nasional 4-3 to lift the Junior Hockey League Milo Cup at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium yesterday.
And since 2003, they have won 24 out of 25 matches -- losing only to Petaling Jaya City Council in the 2006 Overall title hunt.
BJSS took a comfortable 4-1 lead by the 39th minute, but club side Tenaga rallied their players and narrowed the defeat to a respectable 3-4 margin, and were unlucky not to have taken the match into extra-time when they missed their last penalty corner by centimetres.
In the third-fourth playoff, Bandar Penawar Sports School beat Batu Pahat 4-1 on penalty strokes after the match ended 1-1 after extra-time.
Ahmad went on to claim a hat-trick with his other efforts coming in the 10th and 39th minutes. That fetched him the man-of-the-final award.
The other BJSS goal was scored by Shahiram Zali in the 30th minute.
As for Tenaga, their goalscorers were Khairul Aiman (20th) and Faizal Yaccob (57th, 64th).
In the bronze fight, BPSS took the lead off Eldon Lermery in the fourth minute, but Batu Pahat's Noor Hafiq Ghaffar slotted in a penalty stroke in the 64th minute to take the match into extra-time and penalties, which BPSS won 4-1.
On track to Beijing Games
PETALING JAYA: A place in the Beijing Olympics beckons for Malaysia's Azizul Hasni Awang after an impressive ride in the keirin competition of the Track World Championships in Manchester on Saturday.
Azizul beat a classy field of world championships medallists, including Australia's Shane Perkins and the defending champion Theo Bos of Holland, to win the first round heat for automatic qualification to the second round.
He failed to become the first Malaysian to make it to the keirin final of the world championships but an 11th ranked finish virtually assured him of a place in the Olympic competition in August.
The other Malaysian riders, Josiah Ng and Rizal Tisin, failed to make it past the first round.
Josiah's charge to join Azizul was undone when he was hit from behind by French rider Mickael Bourgain. Despite the setback, Josiah should have enough ranking points to make a second consecutive appearance in the Olympics.
Azizul's performance comes hot on the heels of a strong performance in the 200m sprint on Friday. The 19-year-old set a new national record of 10.160 in qualifying 11th fastest for the knockout rounds.
Azizul lost the one-off ride against Ukrainian Andriy Vynokurov in the second round. But he can take heart in that he not just improved on his previous national mark of 10.385, set in the World Cup last month, but also the Asian record of 10.191 clocked by Japan's Kazunari Watanabe in 2005.
Josiah also went under the national mark with a flying lap of 10.352 but was placed 25th and again missed the knockout stages.
After the disappointing start to Malaysia's campaign in the team sprint earlier, team manager Datuk Naim Mohamad said Azizul looked good to win an Olympic berth.
In the team sprint, Malaysia only needed to stay above the United States, Greece and Poland to confirm their place in the Beijing Games but the trio of Mohd Edrus Yunus, Josiah and Azizul ended last in a field of 15 teams.
“Edrus was the lead rider and his concentration was shaken when the Greek rider slipped at the start of the race and he did not post a good time.” said Naim in a telephone interview from Manchester.
“I think we should still be able to qualify Olympic team sprint if we stay among the top 12. But we have to wait for the confirmation from UCI (world body) after they finalise the new list by April 14.
“Azizul looks good to join Josiah for the keirin because he should break into the top 15. Azizul would have qualified for the Olympics in the 200m sprint if he had reached the quarter-finals but we will have to wait for the new rankings to see where he stands.
“Azizul impressed many with his speed even though he was competing for the first time in the keirin.’’
The Terengganu-born cyclist earned direct qualification for the world championships by virtue of winning the Asian title in Bangkok last year.
Suryani guns down third gold
By LIM TEIK HUAT
PETALING JAYA: Despite the lack of training, Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi showed that she is still the undisputed top female rifle shooter in the country when she picked up her third individual gold medal in the Ally Ong Trophy championships at the Subang Range yesterday.
The 25-year-old shot 97.9 in the final to bag the women's 50m rifle three-position individual gold for Perak with a total of 677.9.
Fellow national shooter Shahera Rahim of Penang scored 95.4 in the final for the silver on 673.4. Pahang's Nur Ayuni Farhana, who is preparing for the Sukma (Malaysia Games) in Terengganu in May, took bronze on 663.2.
The steady Nur Suryani thus made a clean sweep of all the three gold medals at stake in the women's rifle competitions.
Nur Suryani, who was part of the gold medal-winning women's team at the SEA Games last December, also came out tops in the 10m air rifle and rifle prone individual events.
Although her score in the 50m rifle three-position yesterday was way off her national mark of 689.89 set in 2005, Nur Suryani was still happy with her performance.
“This is my second championships of the year. There is no major competition this year and the training has not been as intensive as before ... so I feel I did okay,” said Suryani, a bronze medallist in the Asian Championships last year.
Her efforts also helped Perak to top the medal standings with a tally of 7-3-3. Police finished second on 7-3-2 followed by Pahang on 5-4-8.
In the absence of top men's rifle shooter Mohd Hameleay Abdul Mutalib, Police's Shahrizal Ishak took the top honours in the 10m air rifle event yesterday. He won with a total tally of 685, ahead of Johor's Mohd Shahril Ishak (672.8). Shahrizal's score also helped Police bag the team gold on 1,723.
Torch run through Athens cut short
ATHENS: The final day of the Beijing Games torch relay through Greece was cut short by several hours yesterday ahead of the Olympic flame's scheduled handover to China, amid concern over anti-Chinese protests by human rights activists.
“We have changed the programme,” Hellenic Olympic Committee spokesman Tassos Papachristou told AFP.
“The flame will now run a small distance through the centre of Athens before (the handover ceremony) at 3:00pm (1200 GMT),” he said.
The torch was originally supposed to be taken to the Olympic Stadium yesterday but this was done on Saturday instead.
Greek organisers have repeatedly changed the Beijing torch relay's passage through Athens over the last few days as sporadic protests by groups protesting against China's human rights record multiply.
On March 24, the flame-lighting ceremony in Olympia, southwest Greece, was disrupted by three members of the Reporters Without Borders press freedom group and Tibetan protesters later staged a street protest in Olympia despite a massive security cordon around the small town.
As the flame entered Athens on Saturday, a few dozen members of Tibetan human rights groups and Falungong – a spiritual movement outlawed in China – staged a peaceful protest beneath the Acropolis against the Chinese clampdown in Tibet and the holding of the Olympics in Beijing in August.
“Our intention is not to stop people from demonstrating but to avoid having an incident that disrupts the torch relay,” Papachristou said. – AFP
Menteri minta laporan
BERA – Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob akan mendapatkan gambaran sebenar mengenai hutang berjumlah RM6 juta yang masih belum dijelaskan oleh Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) kepada beberapa persatuan sukan sehingga tidak dapat menjalankan aktiviti dan latihan sukan.
Katanya, isu hutang tertunggak yang ditimbulkan itu sebenarnya telah berlarutan sejak lebih setahun yang lalu dan beliau akan mendapatkan laporan terperinci daripada Ketua Pengarah MSN, Datuk Zolkepli Embong sebelum memberi sebarang ulasan lanjut.
Sehingga kini, MSN masih belum ‘melangsaikan’ hutangnya dengan Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM), Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Kongres Boling Ten Pin (MTCB), Kesatuan Renang Amatur Malaysia (Asum) dan Persatuan Skuasy Malaysia (SRAM).
“Saya akan meneliti isu yang dibangkitkan dan berharap ia dapat diselesaikan demi kepentingan sukan negara kerana kita tidak mahu isu hutang lapuk itu boleh menjejaskan masa depan pembangunan sukan negara,” kata Ismail Sabri.
Bagaimanapun menurut beliau, isu hutang lapuk itu tidak menjejaskan persiapan atlet yang kini giat menjalani latihan menjelang Temasya Olimpik Beijing kerana elaun latihan mereka dibayar seperti biasa.
Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan mesyuarat agung tahunan PIBG Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tembangau di Felda Tembangau dekat sini semalam.
Semasa diminta mengulas mengenai isu pemergian pegawai sukan yang melebihi jumlah atlet dalam beberapa kejohanan sukan di luar negara seperti Sukan SEA, Asia dan Olimpik, Ismail berkata perkara itu tidak sepatutnya berlaku.
“Tidak akan timbul isu pembaziran wang membabitkan penyertaan atlet dan pegawai yang menyertai kejohanan sukan di luar negara selepas ini tetapi saya akan melihat terlebih dahulu kenapa perkara ini boleh berlaku sama ada ia satu keperluan ataupun sebaliknya.
“Sememangnya kita harus lebih berhemah apabila mengeluarkan peruntukan terutama memikirkan keperluan menghantar pegawai yang ramai daripada atlet,” katanya.
Tambah beliau, sepatutnya keperluan itu lebih diutamakan kepada pembangunan atlet untuk menjulang nama negara di peringkat antarabangsa seperti Sukan Asia dan Olimpik.
Stadium tertutup kriket dibina tahun depan
KUALA LUMPUR – Kejohanan kriket dalam dewan di negara ini dijangka akan mendapat sambutan yang lebih hebat tahun depan apabila sebuah stadium tertutup khas untuk sukan itu akan dibina di sebelah Bayumas Oval di Pandamaran, Selangor.
Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Kriket Melayu Malaysia (Kriket Melayu), Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid berkata, pihak persatuan telah bersetuju untuk membina stadium tersebut bagi menggalakkan lagi penyertaan golongan muda dalam sukan itu.
“Ini adalah salah satu cara Kriket Melayu menarik minat kaum belia untuk terlibat dalam sukan yang sangat unik dan mempunyai pelbagai taktik serta strategi,” katanya pada Kejohanan Kriket 6’s Dalam Dewan Kebangsaan Ke-5 Trofi Milo 2008 yang turut dihadiri oleh Pengerusi Nestle Malaysia Berhad, Jeneral (B) Tan Sri Datuk Mohd. Ghazali Seth.
Juara bagi kejohanan itu ialah Akademi Kriket Johor (JCA), manakala tempat kedua dimenangi oleh RMAF Falcons dan diikuti oleh Selangor Warriors serta RMAF Hawks.
Kategori Plate dimenangi oleh NS Wanderers dan tempat kedua ialah Pahang Eagles.
Kata Ahmad Sarji, stadium tertutup itu adalah alternatif terbaik dalam menyediakan kemudahan yang lebih baik kepada peminat sukan kriket
Jelasnya, dengan adanya kemudahan yang mencukupi, barulah sesebuah sukan itu dapat berkembang dan ia sangat penting kepada sukan yang masih tidak mendapat minat daripada orang ramai.
Menurut beliau, pembinaan stadium itu bakal menarik minat orang ramai untuk berkecimpung dalam sukan itu kerana ia memberi lebih keselesaan kepada pemain kerana tidak terdedah kepada cahaya matahari.
Sementara itu, Timbalan Setiausaha Kewangan Kriket Melayu, Mohd. Sham Jalil berkata, pembinaan stadium tertutup Bayumas yang mempunyai ukuran yang sama seperti di peringkat antarabangsa adalah penting bagi mengadakan sesi latihan di dalam dewan.
Menurut beliau, dengan adanya stadium itu, latihan di dalam gelanggang di waktu malam juga dapat dijalankan.
Pelari Kenya dominasi KLIM 2008
KUALA LUMPUR – Sirkit Terakhir Maraton Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIM) 2008 di Dataran Merdeka, semalam, menampilkan penguasaan pelari Kenya dalam lima kategori utama yang dipertandingkan sekali gus membolot ganjaran kemenangan hampir RM90,000.
Nelson Kirwa Rotich mengetuai penguasaan itu dalam kategori A lelaki dengan catatan masa dua jam 15 minit 32 saat sambil mencipta rekod baru larian sejauh 42 kilometer ini termasuk muncul pelari ketujuh dari Afrika untuk memenanginya sejak tahun 2000.
Dia membawa pulang RM38,000, manakala rakan senegaranya, Luka Kipkimoi Chelimo (2’15:39s) menerima hadiah RM20,000 sebagai naib juara dan Kipkering Kipkemboi Christopher (2’16:30s), juga dari Kenya, meraih RM10,000 sebagai pemenang tempat ketiga.
“Saya tidak menduga dapat mencipta rekod apatah lagi baru kali pertama menyertainya. Masa terbaik saya sebelum ini ialah dua jam 23 minit di Nairobi,” katanya.
Rakan senegara, Fridah Chepkite Lodepa yang menjuarai kategori wanita dengan masa 2’54:23s tetapi masih jauh daripada catatan terbaik 2’13:00s, berkata: “Satu permulaan bagi sekalipun ditentang hebat.”
Fridah membawa pulang RM25,000 manakala rakan senegaranya Jane Wancui Waweru selaku naib juara dengan catatan 3’01:00s, menerima hadiah RM10,000 diikuti Magret Kiplagat (3’06:03s) dan memenangi RM5,000.
Jagoan tempatan, R. Miniandy pula muncul sebagai Pelari Terbaik Malaysia bagi kategori 42km lelaki dengan masa 2’42:00s setelah menduduki tempat ke-14 dalam larian itu, manakala Tan Li Lian, yang menduduki tempat kesembilan dengan masa 3’37:29s, terpilih sebagai Pelari Wanita Terbaik Malaysia.
Kemunculan 9,920 pelari dari 42 negara kali ini untuk merebut ganjaran kemenangan berjumlah RM284,100 ini turut mencatatkan penyertaan terbanyak dalam sejarah KLIM selain mengatasi hanya 8,100 peserta pada tahun lalu.
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