Laos Want Sports Like Shuttlecock, Fin Swimming In 2009 SEA Games
By Jaiarajo Letchumanan
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- The initial 22 sports proposed by Laos, the host of the 25th SEA Games, has come under fire from a number of countries, including Malaysia.
Laos, picked to host the 2009 SEA Games, have indicated they might only host about 25 sports, a far cry from the 43 medal sports and two demonstration sports hosted by 2007 host, Korat, Thailand.
Sports like shuttlecock, merely a traditional game played by ethnic groups in Asian countries like Vietnam, China, Laos, Cambodia and fin swimming have been proposed, instead of weightlifting, snooker or basketball.
The sport of shuttlecock which resembles a hoop sepaktakraw match, uses feathers clustered together just like a shuttlecock used in badminton but played with the feet.
The shuttlecock game is divided into two basic types - the artistic (points for the most difficult moves with the feather ball) and the team play (played with a net in the centre and two players on each side, juggling and smashing the feather ball with their feet) and points counted just like in a volleyball game).
Apart from shuttlecock and fin swimming, aquatics (swimming & diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, football, golf, judo, karate, sepaktakraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, wushu, muay, petanque, pencak silat, and traditional Boat Race are on the initial list.
"The host country put forward their initial list of 22 sports with another three yet to be decided but we (Malaysia) and a number of countries who attended the SEA Games Council meeting feel that traditional sports should be done away with and regularly-featured sports included.
"We have proposed sports like squash, basketball, weightlifting, hockey, snooker among others while other countries have also submitted their proposed list. The final list is expected to be out by November," Olympic Council of Malaysia vice-president Low Beng Choo who attended the meeting in Laos last week, told Bernama when contacted.
She said that Laos had also indicated plans to build a new sports complex just for the Games.
"Building an entirely new sports complex is good news as they can include more sports featured in the Games," added Low.
-- BERNAMA
Debutant Sook Ching A Late Replacement For Unlucky Liu Ying
KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- Debutant Sabrina Chong Sook Ching will get her chance to play in the Uber Cup Final in Jakarta from May 11 to 18 after a knee injury ruled youngster Goh Liu Ying out of the tournament.
Chong, who will be the back-up shuttler, said she was surprised but happy to be included in the squad at the very last minute.
"I did not know how to react when I first knew of the news but at the same time I felt sad for my team mate as she is very unlucky to be out," she told reporters when met at Gymnasium II in Bukit Jalil here Tuesday.
The 21-year-old who won the mixed doubles in the National Grand Prix final this year partnering Mohd Razif Abdul Latif, said she had to withdraw from the Thailand Satellite tournament to prepare for the Uber Cup.
"I hope to perform to my best ability in Indonesia. I am ready for the big tournament and I will be happy if I get the chance to play there," said the girl from Petaling Jaya. ,
National coach Yap Kim Hock confirmed yesterday that 19-year-old Liu Ying was dropped from the team because of a knee injury.
He said Liu Ying's injury was quite serious and it would be unwise to risk playing her in Jakarta.
Liu Ying, who is from Malacca, was picked as an option for the doubles in the Malaysian team. Together with playing partner Woon Khe Wei, the pair were selected for the finals after their fine performances in several tournaments held recently.
-- BERNAMA
Premier League Champions To Be Decided Saturday
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Kuala Muda are closing in to grabbing this season's Premier League title but KL Plus are tailing them very closely and the difference between them is merely one point after Monday night's matches.
The end of the season match this Saturday between them will determine who will walk home with the title.
Incidentally, Kuala Muda and KL PLus launched their campaign facing each other in December which ended with KL Plus winning the match 1-0.
Kuala Muda now have 58 points while KL Plus 57. Kelantan, on third spot, are out of the contention as they have 53 points.
At the Larkin Stadium Monday night, Kuala Muda beat Johor Pasir Gudang 2-0.
The goals were scored by Rudie Ramli in the 10th minute and Ngoku Emeka in the 56th.
At the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, KL Plus beat Kuala Lumpur 2-1.
Kuala Lumpur scored first through Azidan Saruddin in the seventh minute while KL Plus equalised through Alex Agbo in the 34th and obtained the winner through Nazrul Erwan Makmur in the 65th.
At the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Harimau Muda ended their campaign with a 2-4 loss to Melaka.
Harimau Muda scored twice in the first half through Yusaini Hafiz (12th) and Wan Zaid Haikal (18th) but Melaka made a surprise come back and scored four goals after half time through Kofi Estiba (58th), Ahmad Kamil Abd Ghani (63rd), Ahmad Fauzi Ibrahim (88th) and Julius Abegar (90th).
At the Likas Stadium, two goals by Josip Milicic in the fifth and 41st minutes gave Shahzan Muda a win against Sabah who obtained one through Dragic Dalibor in the 63rd.
At the Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium, Proton FC beat Selangor PKNS 2-0. The goals were scored by Charles Gaye Wright in the 14th minute and Yazli Yahya in the 45th.
At the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium, ATM who stood bottom of the league, drew 3-3 with Felda United.
ATM's goals were scored by Zoolihsan Yunus (26th and 66th) and Mofry Balang (86th) while Felda United got theirs through Fabio Alexander Desar (34th) and Khairul Izwan Khalid (38th and 58th).
-- BERNAMA
South Korea Steamroll Past Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian women's hockey squad were thrashed 5-0 by South Korea in their second match of the Olympic qualifying round campaign at Victoria University, Victoria, Canada, Monday.
South Korea, ranked 9th in the world, did not waste any time and led in the 5th minute after Mi Young Eom, who picked a rebound from her initial penalty corner, fired home her team's opening goal.
In the 20th minute, Jong Eun Kim netted their second also from a penalty before making it two for herself just two minutes later.
Malaysia tightened their defence after that and prevented the Koreans from doing any more damage at least until half-time.
In the second-half, Malaysia, ranked 24th, started off aggressively and managed to create goal chances but poor finishing let them down.
In opening up to attack, it gave the speedy Koreans more space which they capitalised well and punished Malaysia again in the 48th minute with Mi Hyub Park converting from a penalty corner.
Jong finished the day in style earning herself a hattrick when she slammed home a loose ball in the D in the 56th minute.
This is the second loss suffered by Malaysia who in the opening match on Saturday were beaten by Ireland 3-0.
Earlier, 19th ranked Italy whitewashed Uruguay 4-0 while Ireland defeated hosts Canada 2-0.
Tuesday, Malaysia take on Canada, Ireland face Uruguay while South Korea meet Italy.
The top two teams will book their tickets to the Beijing Olympics in August.
-- BERNAMA
RM1 Million Standing In The Way Of Ariffin's Solo Circumnavigation
By Hilary Sebastian
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 -- Ariffin Abdul Aziz has a big dream -- to walk in the footsteps of Datuk Azhar Mansor and become the second Malaysian to sail solo around the world.
The 44-year-old has the boat to do it but has hit a snag. He needs sponsorship of about RM1 million more to realise the goal.
His main sponsor, Samling Global, a timber giant based in Miri, Sarawak has provided him with a RM2.2 million yacht, the "Ulumulu", to undertake the voyage but needs about RM1 million in additional sponsorship to buy support equipment like satellite telephone, spare parts and also enough food and water provisions and medicines for the journey .
Ariffin, who hails from Seremban but is based in Miri now, told Bernama that he was to undertake the project last year but modifications to the racing yacht for circumnavigation and insufficient sponsorship "threw a spanner into the works".
His planned voyage will be 3,000 nautical miles longer than Azhar's 28,649 nautical miles achieved in 1999 on the "Jalur Gemilang".
Apart from pursuing his dream, a main objective of the trip is to promote Malaysia and Miri as tourist destinations specifically for yachting and also their many attractive sailing events, among them the 2008 Borneo Cup and the Raja Muda Regatta in November, said Ariffin.
A former Royal Malaysian Navy personnel, Arffin sailed solo from Thursday Island in Australia to Miri in Sarawak, a distance of 2,800 nautical miles, last December in preparing for the round-the-world voyage.
Those wishing to support Ariffin in his endeavor can contact him at 085-423033/417025, 085-417249 (facsimile) or e-mail him at www.fin@mirimarina.com.
-- BERNAMA
Sarawak Players Paid Salaries On Time
By Rudy Rukimin Rambli
KUCHING, April 28 (Bernama) -- The FA of Sarawak Monday clarified that it did not owe any salary arrears to its players this season and that their dues were paid on time each month.
Team manager Zuraimi Subki said the association's main focus this season had been players welfare with their salaries the uppermost consideration.
"You can ask any of the players in our Super League team whether any salary arrears is owed to them this season," he told Bernama here Monday.
Asked about reports that Sarawak players were the lowest paid in the Super League with salaries ranging from RM2,000 to RM5,000, even for imported players, Zuraimi said this was not true.
"Their salaries depend on their ability and experience. For example, our players in the President's Cup competition are paid RM2,000 a month but local experienced players are paid anywhere between RM4,000 and RM7,000 a month," he said, adding that the salaries for imported players would obviously be much higher.
He also said that none of their Super League players had been suspended but seven of them had been asked to take leave pending investigations by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) over bribery allegations concerning the team.
"They have been asked to take a rest and are still receiving their salaries," he said, adding that they could return to play after the rest period but subject to form.
Meanwhile, the remand period for the 39-year-old former Sarawak player detained by the ACA to assist the bribery probe was extended by another four days from Monday.
Sarawak ACA director Yusof Akope when contached by Bernama confirmed this.
-- BERNAMA
Malaysia, Philippines Favourites To Lift SEABA Men's Junior Title
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Defending champions Malaysia and the Philippines are expected to battle in the final of the 7th South East Asian Basketball (SEABA) men's junior championships to be held at the MABA Indoor Stadium here from May 1 to 5.
Malaysia's men's junior coach Tan Kok Heng said besides the two countries, the other participating teams are from Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
"Malaysia are the defending champions of the biennial championship after winning the 6th SEABA held in Segamat, Johor in 2006. The Philippines on the other hand are a regional powerhouse basketball and both countries are likely to make the final," he told reporters, here Monday.
However, Kok Heng said his charges would face an uphill task as the Philippines are sending their strongest team which includes two imported players, Mark Joel Guzman and Mark Anthony Lopez.
Fixtures:
May 1: M'sia vs Philippines - 8pm
May 2: M'sia vs Singapore - 8.45pm
May 3: M'sia vs Thailand - 9pm
May 5: M'sia vs Indonesia - 8pm
-- BERNAMA
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