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KUALA LUMPUR - Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM) sedang merangka untuk menubuhkan tabung amanahnya sendiri sebagai persediaan awal menghadapi krisis kewangan global pada 2009. Presiden MOM, Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar berkata, pihaknya begitu mengambil berat tentang keadaan ekonomi dunia yang boleh menjejaskan perkembangan sukan negara sepanjang tahun depan. "Sebagai langkah berjimat cermat dan pengurusan yang telus, kedudukan kewangan MOM perlu diperkukuhkan. Dengan kelembapan ekonomi melanda seluruh dunia, MOM perlu berhati-hati dalam menubuhkan tabung amanah itu nanti. "Ia sebagai langkah pertama dan keselamatan untuk menjamin keutuhan kewangan MOM pada masa depan," ujarnya. Tunku Imran berkata demikian dalam perutusannya sempena Tahun Baru 2009, semalam. Menurutnya, 2008 merupakan satu lagi tahun yang mencatatkan kejayaan bermakna kepada Malaysia amnya dan MOM khasnya. Penganjuran Sukan Olimpik di Beijing, China memperlihatkan pencapaian yang membanggaka...

SINGAPORE: Asia continued to attract top-shelf sporting events and big-name stars this year, with more of the same expected in 2009 as sponsors and marketers exploit opportunities on the huge continent. Primarily, 2008 will be remembered for the Beijing Olympics, which was massively successful and set the benchmark for sporting events globally. Aside from that, the key landmark was Singapore’s hosting of Formula One’s first-ever night race, around the city-state’s streets. It was a year with plenty to keep fans happy, although the exploits of Asians on the world stage was muted. The Olympics in August showed that China can successfully host the biggest event of all. Few thought it would be any different with the giant communist country pulling out all the stops to ensure it was roundly praised. While its hosting capabilities were admirable, China also showed it boasts some of the best sportspeople on Earth, topping the medals table ahead of the United States for the first time. B...

yasmin.raman@kosmo.com.my "IA tahun yang saya anggap hebat. Atlet kita telah memperlihatkan kecemerlangan baik di pentas antarabangsa mahu pun kebangsaan." Itu pengakuan Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob ketika diminta mengulas prestasi sukan negara sepanjang tahun 2008. Entah apa agaknya yang dimaksudkannya hebat. Adakah kejayaan meraih pingat perak pada Sukan Olimpik atau sebaliknya. Sedangkan sepanjang tahun ini hanya badminton yang dilihat menyerlah berbanding sukan lain. Dia berkata: "Tahun ini, sukan negara telah mencapai satu kejayaan yang besar. Kita bukan sahaja berjaya di pentas Olimpik malah Paralimpik. "Datuk Lee Chong Wei menghadiahkan pingat tunggal Malaysia di Sukan Olimpik apabila meraih perak dalam acara badminton perseorangan lelaki sekali gus mengakhiri penantian selama 12 tahun. "Pada temasya Paralimpik pula kita telah meraih pingat gangsa selepas menunggu selama 16 tahun menerusi Siow Lee Chan dalam acara power...

WONG PEI TTY (kanan) dan Chin Eei Hui cipta kejutan pada tahun 2008. TIADA catatan luar biasa yang dilakar atlet negara sepanjang tahun ini. Namun, kegemilangan sukan negara tahun ini dimulakan dengan kejayaan pemain boling padang lelaki negara, Safuan Said. Safuan juga merupakan juara dunia bawah 25 tahun pada 2005 dan pemenang pingat emas dalam acara beregu pada Kejohanan Boling Padang Asia Pasifik tahun lalu. Beliau muncul juara dunia pada Kejohanan Boling Padang Dunia awal tahun ini. Walaupun hanya segelintir atlet sahaja berjaya melakar nama di pentas antarabangsa, namun 2008 dianggap sebagai tahun gemilang bagi sukan negara. Namun, wujud kekecewaan dalam beberapa sukan utama termasuk bola sepak. Kien Keat dan Boon Heong yang pernah menggegar gelanggang badminton antarabangsa tahun lalu kembali berada prestasi terbaik dengan muncul juara dalam acara beregu lelaki. Kejohanan yang menawarkan hadiah keseluruhan bernilai AS$500,000 (RM1.81 juta) itu turut menyaksikan pasangan...

KEJAYAAN Azizulhasni (kiri) yang memberi saingan getir kepada jagoan dunia, Chris Hoy dari Britain dalam suku akhir acara pecut di Sukan Olimpik, Ogos lalu jelas buktikan sukan tanah air membawa sinaran sepanjang musim ini. Olimpik Beijing sangkal andaian sukan Malaysia kini meniti era kemerosotan ANDAI mata kita menumpu ke dalam bola kristal - segala-galanya menceritakan betapa positif arah tuju sukan negara sepanjang musim 2008 dan impak itu dijangka berterusan apabila 'keluarga sukan' menyambut tahun baru, esok. Ibarat pepatah ‘buang yang keruh ambil yang jernih’ setiap kegagalan harus dianggap akan memberi ruang untuk berjaya dan kepada atlit yang cemerlang sepanjang musim ini kita ucapkan tahniah. Daripada babak menarik di Sukan Olimpik Beijing sehingga dua jaguh sukan - Nicol Ann David dan Lee Chong Wei - bergelar Datuk dan kemunculan anak muda dari Terengganu, Azizulhasni Awang yang gah membakar trek lumba basikal, jelas ...

lukmsal@bharian.com.my CHONG Wei dan Mew Choo melawat Misbun di hospital, semalam. - Foto Khalid Redza. SEKALIPUN terlantar sakit di hospital, namun fikiran jurulatih badminton kebangsaan, Misbun Sidek tidak jauh mengenangkan keadaan anak buahnya, terutama Lee Chong Wei yang bakal mengharungi saingan Siri Super pertama musim ini di Terbuka Malaysia, minggu depan. Jiwanya mahu berada di atas gelanggang melatih anak didiknya tetapi apakan daya tenaganya langsung tiada sehingga untuk memegang raket pun sukar tatkala Misbun diserang penyakit yang belum dapat disahkan namanya melainkan diagnosis awal menyatakan dia kemungkinan mengalami jangkitan paru-paru. Namun, kehadiran anak didiknya, Chong Wei sambil ditemani teman wanitanya yang juga pemain badminton kebangsaan, Wong Mew Choo tampak menaikkan semangat Misbun tatkala kedua-dua bertukar cerita sambil memberi perangsang di antara satu sama lain. “Saya mahu Chong Wei meneruskan lati...

NO effort must be spared to develop sports as it is an industry by itself which contributes to the economy as well as provide jobs for Malaysians. The Sports Ministry, the Domestic Trade and Industries Ministry and the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) should spearhead the move, which should start with the establishment of a blueprint. Malaysian Association for Physical Education, Sports Science and Fitness (MAPESSF) president, Professor Datuk Dr Leonard A de Vries said this was first discussed 10 years ago. "A working paper entitled Economic impact of sports in Malaysia was approved by the Sports Ministry 10 years ago. However, this has yet to be implemented," said de Vries. However, for sports to succeed, there has to first be a sports culture. "This can be achieved through seminars to create awareness. It is also very important to ensure the infrastructure and facilities are adequate. Also, if the sports industry is to expand, then there must be more empha...

Zolkples Embong (left), Ismail Sabri (top) and Azalina Othman. THE pressure had been immense and no effort was made by National Sports Council (NSC) director general (DG) Datuk Zolkples Embong to hide his relief following Lee Chong Wei's silver medal effort in the Beijing Olympics. Gold may have remained elusive but failure to win a medal would have meant returning home empty handed for a third consecutive Olympics and the backlash would have been worse compared to Athens 2004, which, among others, resulted in the NSC being "divorced" from the National Sports Institute. Zolkples was not the DG during the Athens Games but he has been an integral part of the role NSC has played since the government took almost total charge of development starting with the Jaya '98 programme. No doubt, there have been results with squash world champion Nicol David, the national tenpin bowlers, the lawn bowlers and, to a certain extent, the badminton players scoring numerou...

By Rintos Mail AS we reflect on the incredible feats of the many medal winners at the Beijing Olympic Games, one thing shines through — the power of the human spirit shown not only by the champions but also all the participants. This is particularly true of two ‘handicapped’ long-distance swimmers, Maarten van der Weijden from Holland and Natalie Du Toit from South Africa in the 10km marathon swim. The former was reportedly suffering from leukaemia and the latter is an amputee — minus the lower part of her left leg. Van der Weijden beat other able-bodied swimmers to win the gold while Du Toit managed to complete the 10km swim although she wasn’t a medallist. The fighting spirit and steely determination shown by these two Olympians have certainly warmed the hearts of millions the world over. Indeed, the duo are the true heroines of the Olympic Games and role models for everyone, especially the young. The scenario was no less different in the Paralympics...

ONE suspects the Malaysia Games is fast losing is relevance and heading the way of the Sea Games, so why should it matter when a sport is excluded from the biennial Games? It is all about the medals now anyway, preferably gold, as amply demonstrated by Terengganu when it hosted the Games in the middle of the year. In the pursuit of medals, basketball paid the price after it was excluded as Terengganu could not be bothered to set up a team, presumably because it did not stand a chance of winning. Never mind that the Malaysian Basketball Association is one of the more professionally run national bodies in the country and deserved far better treatment. But now that basketball is back for the next edition in Malacca in 2010, tennis has found itself out of the line up for reasons that hold little water. One sorry excuse given was that there are no facilities available for tennis in Malacca but Timesport shot that argument down when it was pointed out that Ayer Keroh hosted...

Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman travelling to Kuala Lumpur in a special train with his grandchildren in 1994. KUALA LUMPUR: The fourth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, will be remembered as a monarch who was sensitive to the needs of others. Respected by his brother rulers as well as local and foreign leaders and loved by his people for his wisdom, sincerity and dedication, Tuanku Ja'afar was the son of the country's first king, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Tuanku Muhammad, whose portrait is on our ringgit notes. During the 40 years years as ruler of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja'afar focused on the problems faced by the people and the administration of the state. Tuanku Ja'afar gave special attention to industry and public housing so that the people's living standards could be improved. As a result, several new housing areas were developed including Taman Tuanku Ja'afar, which includes an industrial area...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- The demise of Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman today is a big loss to the sporting fraternity in the country. Being a passionate cricketer, golfer and tennis player, Tuanku Ja'afar not only contributed immensely to sports but had also coaxed his entire family members to contribute towards sports in the country, earning the accolade of "Royal Sporting Family". His son Tan Sri Tunku Imran is the President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), President of the Malaysian Cricket Association and former Squash Racket Association of Malaysia and World Squash Federation president. Tunku Laxamana Tunku Datuk Seri Utama Naquiyuddin is the President of the Malaysia Water Ski Association, Patron of the Malaysian Yachting Association and Negeri Sembilan Squash Rackets Association. His daughter Tuanku Puteri Tunku Datuk Seri Jawahir is the president of the Malaysian Amateur Ladies Golf...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 25 (Bernama) -- The year 2008 witnessed many Malaysian athletes carving their name on Malaysia's sports hall of fame, Olympic Council of Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said today. "Overall, the year 2008 is a very good year for Malaysia's sporting scene. We ended the year with a big bang. "The national shuttlers won the Super Series Masters and the Malaysian contingent became the overall champion in the just-concluded Asean University Games. Malaysian athletes have competed in many competitions both locally and abroad. "For me personally, I think the Olympic Games of course was the big event for Malaysia. Datuk Lee Chong Wei winning the silver medal in badminton is an achievement for Malaysia, particularly after two consecutive Olympic Games," Sieh told Bernama when asked for his overview of Malaysian sports this. Besides Chong Wei in the men's singles, Malaysian shuttlers also won gold in the men's doubl...

THE Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU) will be holding it first board meeting following its elections two weeks ago on Monday with only one item on the agenda. At a time when there are so many pressing issues facing Malaysian athletics, president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (left) and his officials do not appear to have grasped the urgency of the situation at hand. Instead, MAAU is getting ready for a round of horse-trading with the chairmanship of the various sub-committees up for grabs at the board meeting in Kangar. The Laos Sea Games are only 12 months away but no thought is being given to discussion of programmes for national athletes next year nor does anyone have any idea which athletes are being targeted for the Sea Games, the Asian Track and Field Championships and the World Championships. Also missing from the agenda is the membership application of the Armed Forces Athletic Association and the revised constitution approved at an extraordinary general me...

Sapura’s Keevan (left) and Logan Raj are set to square off against E&Y’s Misron siblings, Azlan and Azli in the final on Saturday. FAMILY ties will come to the fore when Sapura play Ernst & Young in the MHL-TNB Cup final at the KLHA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Sapura will have two pairs of brothers Keevan and Logan Raj and Jiwa and Jiwan Mohan while E&Y have the Misron siblings, Azlan and Azli. To make it even more interesting, the head coaches of both teams are also brothers -- Sapura's K. Enbaraj and E&Y's Muhd Dharma Raj Abdullah. E&Y, the league champions, are featuring in their seventh final and interestingly, they have yet to lift the overall title while Sapura are aiming for their third title in four years. They won in 2005 and 2006. E&Y, powered by a host of national players, will start as favourites as they defeated Sapura 2-1 and 2-0 in the league. "I suppose a sibling rivalry is on the cards between me...

By AFTAR SINGH KUALA LUMPUR: Ernst and Young’s Baljit Singh Sarjab (pic) and Tenaga Nasional’s Mohd Amin Rahim are in the race for the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) top scorer’s award. Both the national defenders have scored 12 goals each — from penalty corners. The 21-year-old Baljit, who has 36 international caps to his credit, gets the chance to increase his tally in the final against Sapura at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium on Saturday. He was the hero for Ernst and Young in the semi-final second-leg match against Maybank last Sunday, scoring the golden goal in the 76th minute to give the Division One champions a 3-2 aggregate win. Tenaga, meanwhile, will bank on veteran Amin to deliver the goals against Maybank in the playoff for third place at the same venue on Saturday. Ernst and Young will be out to nail the overall title after failing at the final hurdle on five previous occasions. “I want to score on Saturday to help my team win the overall title for the f...

KEBANGGAAN MALAYSIA... Barisan pemain yang mengharumkan nama negara apabila menjuarai Kejohanan Badminton Masters Final 2008 di Kota Kinabalu Ahad lalu. TAHUN 2008 menyaksikan ramai atlet Malaysia mencipta nama dalam arena sukan tahan air. Demikian jelas Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Datuk Sieh Kok Chi (gambar) ketika diminta mengulas pencapaian atlet Malaysia sepanjang tahun ini. "Secara menyeluruh, tahun 2008 merupakan tahun yang amat baik bagi arena sukan Malaysia. Kita akhiri tahun ini dengan amat cemerlang. "Tiga pemain badminton negara memenangi Kejohanan Masters Final dan kontinjen Malaysia muncul juara keseluruhan dalam Sukan Universiti Asean (SUA) baru-baru ini. "Secara peribadi, saya fikir sudah tentu Sukan Olimpik merupakan acara paling besar bagi Malaysia. "Kejayaan Datuk Lee Chong Wei memenangi pingat perak adalah satu pencapaian bagi Malaysia terutamanya selepas dua Sukan Olimpik berturut-turut," kata Kok Chi. Se...

HONG WEI (gambar kiri) sumbang pingat perak pada temasya Olimpik di Beijing manakala Nicol meraih gelaran Terbuka British buat kali ketiga tahun ini. KEGAGALAN jaguh badminton negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei meraih pingat emas pada Sukan Olimpik di Beijing Ogos lepas membuatkan peminat sukan tanah air terus menanti lebih lama bagi menyaksikan sinaran emas pertama negara. Dunia sukan negara juga terus menyaksikan detik-detik hitam dengan pelbagai kemelut sepanjang tahun ini yang menjejaskan imej sukan selain pembatalan penganjuran sukan antarabangsa yang sepatutnya berlangsung di Malaysia. Mujur ratu skuasy, Datuk Nicol Ann David terus bersinar di persada sukan antarabangsa dengan mengibarkan megah bendera kebangsaan. Selepas 51 tahun merdeka, Malaysia masih belum mampu mengungguli sukan yang dipertandingkan di Olimpik sebaliknya lebih menyerlah dalam acara yang tidak dipertandingkan pada sukan terbesar dunia itu seperti skuasy dan boling padang. Teraju utama di Kementerian Belia dan...

azizulfahmi@kosmo.com.my RAJA AHMAD ZAINUDDIN meraikan kejayaan Perak muncul juara Piala Malaysia edisi 1998 di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil. GEJALA rasuah kembali menular dalam sukan bola sepak negara? Itu persoalan utama yang kembali diperdebatkan di kalangan pemerhati serta peminat sukan No. 1 negara itu. Andai benar seperti apa yang didedahkan Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) baru-baru ini bahawa gejala rasuah kembali 'menghiasi' bola sepak tanah air, satu tindakan pro-aktif harus dilaksanakan bagi mengelakkan ia menjadi 'barah' sehingga melumpuhkan perkembangan sukan No. 1 negara itu. Jika diimbas kembali, negara pernah digemparkan dengan skandal rasuah pada tahun 1994 dan 1995. Ketika itu, lebih 100 pemain serta jurulatih yang disyaki mengatur keputusan perlawanan Piala Malaysia dan Liga Perdana ditahan pihak berkuasa untuk disoal siasat. Hasilnya, Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) mengenakan hukuman di bawah Akta Kediaman Terhad terhadap 26 pemain yang men...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- Pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu who was offered to go to the High Performance Training Centre (HPTC) in Formia, Italy, has to continue her training at home instead. This is because the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has decided to send a pole vault coach to the Bukit Jalil HPTC as requested by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Bukit Jalil HPTC Director for Asia Mohd Musa Noor Mohd said Ismail wanted the Bukit Jalil HPTC to also have a pole vault coach besides focusing on the sprinters and hurdlers. "Out of respect to the minister's request, the IAAF has agreed to send a pole vault coach from Russia who will start coaching at the Bukit Jalil HPTC in January," he told Bernama on Wednesday. Apart from Roslinda, another pole vaulter Kathleen Ong and sprinter A. Rehvan will also have the opportunity to train at the Bukit Jalil HPTC. Meanwhile, Roslinda said she would prefer to go to Italy not on...

By Zulhilmi Supaat KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- The RM45 million Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) sports complex when ready next year, would be the biggest sports facility among 20 Public Institutions of Higher Learning (IPTA) in the country. UMT vice chancellor (Alumni and Student Affairs) Prof Dr Abdul Majid Mohd Isa said the sports complex would have various sporting facilities like squash, badminton courts and two Olympics size swimming pools for swimming and diving. "Apart from the Sports Complex, UMT would also offer facilities for water sports like kayaking and scuba diving," he told Bernama here. Dr Abdul said UMT that was set up primarily for Marine Science Research has also been given a special task by the Higher Learning Ministry to focus on three sports, namely scuba, kayaking and equestrian. The special focus on the three sports would not mean that UMT will ignore other sports since UMT have a formidable futsal team that emerged winners in the Univer...

The Office Bearers and members of OCM wish to extend their greetings to all members of OCM, NSAs, Sponsors, Media, and etc. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

FORMER National Coaching Board (NCB) chairman Prof Datuk Dr Leonard A. de Vries is a firm believer in local coaches. In fact, the NCB was set up to train locals to excel in coaching as locals would find it easier to understand Malaysian athletes. The idea to form the board and a national coaches programme was mooted at a seminar organised by the National Sports Council in 1985. The board was formed shortly after and two years later, the National Coaches Certificate Scheme was introduced. de Vries said the NCB believes that coaching Malaysia's international athletes and teams requires coaches with leadership qualities and in-depth understanding and application of sports science, in particular the physical, mental, technical and tactical components related to sports specific performances. "To date, more than 5,500 Level One, 1,674 Level Two and 200 Level Three coaches have been certified. "Since its inception, Level Three has a sports science subject...

National coach Sarjit Singh (right) watches his players train for the Azlan Shah Cup earlier this year. Sarjit’s contract ends on Dec 31. The number of coaches vying to take charge of the national hockey team has been whittled down to a final three candidates. The aspirants hail from Europe, Australia and Asia. Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, however, chose not to reveal their names. "I cannot make the announcement yet, as the coaches are still contracted to other teams. We have three candidates and all of them are foreigners," he said in Kuantan yesterday. He said the official announcement on who would replace Sarjit Singh as the national coach would only be made next month. Sarjit's contract ends on Dec 31. Among the coaches MHF and the National Sports Council (NSC) were interested in was South Korean Kin Sang-ryul, who was in charge of China at the Beijing Olympics. However, MHF's inability to n...