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SPORTS Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob wants to send second-liners to the Laos Sea Games while Olympic Council (OCM) of Malaysia secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi is against the idea. Ismail Sabri (kiri) dan Kok Chi. Firmly in Kok Chi's corner is Malaysian AAU (MAAU) deputy president Karim Ibrahim who was quoted in a Bernama report yesterday that sending second-liners didn't make sense as they would not be able to compete at that level. Now, we are not talking about the Asian Games here but the comedy that is the Sea Games which, at best, can only claim to have world class representation in badminton and bowling. Bowling, along with several other sports, won't even feature in Laos as the Sea Games, with each passing edition, continues to lose its value and strays further from the original target of helping develop world class South East Asian athletes. Yet Karim, and he is sure to have supporters from several other associations, reckons the Sea Games is o...

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...

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...

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...

JOHOR BAHARU, Dec 4 (Bernama)-- Malaysian sports has lost a true nationalist in the late Datuk Ho Koh Chye, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Latif Ahmad. Dr Latif, who was once the Johor executive councillor (Exco) for sports, described the death of Koh Chye as a great loss to the country and him personally. "The late Koh Chye was recruited by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to serve as the Sports Adviser to the Johor Government when Abdul Ghani took over the state in 1996. "I was then the Sports Exco and I worked together with Koh Chye on the long term development plans to lift the standard of sports in Johor. I also had the opportunity to work with him when he was the chef-de-mission to the Vietnam SEA Games in 2003 while I was president of the Petanque Association. "We kept in touch and later I came to know he had some prostrate problems for which he was seeking treatment. And I only learnt about it through a mutual friend. That's the nature of...

PETALING JAYA, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Asian Hockey Federation president Sultan Azlan Shah was among the early persons who paid their last repects to the late Datuk Ho Koh Chye at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Kelana Jaya here today. Sultan Azlan, who knew Ho since 1972, spent about an hour with Ho's widow, Datin Lee Siew Chan, son Ho Yow Chan and other family members. "I was with him all those years since 1972 until now. He was the national coach for the 1975 Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur where our team took fourth place. "The last time I met him was at the Beijing Olympics in August when he was the Chef-de-Mission. We have lost a good man," he said. Ho, 66, died at about 8pm in the Kelana Jaya Medical Centre believed to be due to prostate cancer. Lee said she was with her husband last night when he passed away. "He had a small operation last week. Yesterday he had complained about pains in his legs. "I drove him to a clinic near our house in Kel...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Datuk Ho Koh Chye , the Malaysian contingent head to the Beijing Olympics in August, died at the Kelana Jaya Medical Centre Wednesday night believed due to prostate cancer. Ho, 66, leaves behind wife Datin Lee Siew Chan, a son and a daughter. His close friend, Datuk R. Yogeswaran, said Ho's body was still at the medical centre for autopsy and funeral arrangements would be set by the family. Yogeswaran who considers the deceased as his own elder brother, said Ho had a minor surgery at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre last week. "I was told Ho complained of pains late in the evening, probably due to effects of the surgery, and was taken to the Kelana Jaya Medical Centre before dying at about 8pm," he said. He said they had played hockey for the country together in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and the Games in Mexico four years later. Olympic Council of Malaysia honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi Ho said the country had lost a excellen...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Datuk Ho Koh Chye who died Wednesday will always be remembered as one of Malaysia's greatest hockey heroes. Koh Chye was Malaysia' goalkeeper in the 1975 team that has yet to be surpassed in the country's hockey history. That year, Malaysia were tantalisingly close to reach the final in the World Cup only to be denied by India. However, Malaysia finish fourth in the tournament, the best ever finish to date in the World Cup. For Koh Chye, hockey was everything to him. He once said:" But whatever hockey's fate, one thing will remain unchanged. The memories of 1975 will forever be cherished, never to be forgotten." "Koh Chye was also a very brave player. Sometimes he would even use his forehead to stop the ball from going into goal," said Bernama acting general manager Visvakumar Sangiah, who used to be student of Koh Chye. Koh Chye was was born in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan on Nov 5, 1942. An ex-student of St Paul ...