Because of the system, many national juniors missed the chance to participate in international level events because of financial problem.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth has called for a revamp of the “category system” in Malaysian sports, saying that the millions spent on ferrying “officials and observers” to international sporting events should be channelled instead towards supporting more sportsmen.
According to its information chief S Subramaniam, Malaysian sportsmen were divided into two categories – category A and category B.
Category A sportsmen’s participation in international events was paid for by the government while those who fell into category B paid their own way.
“We should understand that because of the category system many national juniors missed the chance to participate in international level events because of financial problem.”
“Our Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has allocated millions of money to sport development.
“But, sad to say, many associations spent more on administration than on development of sport.
“We believe it is time the National Sport Council and Olympic Council of Malaysia dissolve the category systems in sports and treat all sportsmen representing the country fairly,” he said, adding that the surprise gold medal win by the national 4 x 400metres quartet in the ongoing South East Asia (SEA) Games was a strong message to both the sport councils to reconsider the category system.
More observers than sportsmen
In the SEA Games in Indonesia, Subramaniam said the bulk of the contingent’s budget had gone towards funding non-players.
“For example, Malaysia spent RM2.2 million for 261 officials, 59 VIPs, 279 observers and 355 sportsmen for the SEA games.
“The rest of the 253 were category B sportsmen who spent their own money to prove themselves.
“What kind of system is this?” he asked.
Subramaniam also pointed out that the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) had an absurd ratio of more than one observer per government-funded athlete.
“MAAU took 45 observers where the total track and field athletes are 16 under category A.
“Eighteen other athletes in category B financed their own participation. The ratio of observers to fully financed athletes is absurd.
“This means more than one observer for every athlete… it’s too much,” said Subramaniam, who also raised concern over the future of Malaysian athletics.
He said that although athletes under the MAAU won six gold medals, none of them were new faces.
No new faces
Malaysia’s six gold medals in the track and field events came from Noraseela Khalid (400m hurdles), Lo Choon Sieng (20km walk), Lee Hup Wei (high jump), Tan Song Hwa (hammer), Roslinda Samsu (pole vault) and the 4x400m relay team men.
“Despite MAAU achieving its target, it is a clear that MAAU has failed to cultivate new gold- winning athletes.
“The victories in the SEA Games came from the old faces,” he told FMT.
He recalled that Malaysia was once champions in the track and field events not only in the SEA Games but also in Asia, but today other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia have overtaken Malaysia.
He said that part of the blame rested with the poor administration of the MAAU.
He urged the Youth and Sports Ministry to set up a special task force to probe into MAAU’s structure and operation system.
“We believe that the inefficiency of MAAU is one major cause of Malaysian athletes’ performance declining in the international arena,” Subramaniam said, adding that MIC Youth was not the only group that was critical of MAAU.
He said many parties as well as athletes had complained about the system within MAAU.
The latest rant came from national track and field athlete Noraseela Khalid.
On Wednesday, Noraseela reportedly slammed MAAU for neglecting the welfare of its athletes.
She lambasted the MAAU for bringing home the Malaysian 4x400m men’s quartet of S Kannathasan, P Vuvaraj, Schzuan Ahmad Rosely and Mohd Yunus La Salleh even before the medal presentation ceremony.
The quartet were the surprise winners of a gold medal in the event which was held on Monday. The medal presentation ceremony was scheduled for the next day.
Poor excuse
Responding to Noraseela’s angst, MAAU deputy president Karim Ibrahim told her not to be a “poodle” of others who were trying to destroy the union.
Karim said the MAAU did not have the power to reschedule the medal presentation ceremony, which was the prerogative of the organising committee and neither could it delay the quartet’s flight home as the flights were fully booked out of Palembang at the time.
But Subramaniam described Karim’s statement as a “poor excuse”.
‘It’s not impossible to reschedule their return after the medal presentation. What is wrong paying extra money for accommodation and flight for our golden boys?” he asked.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Youth has called for a revamp of the “category system” in Malaysian sports, saying that the millions spent on ferrying “officials and observers” to international sporting events should be channelled instead towards supporting more sportsmen.According to its information chief S Subramaniam, Malaysian sportsmen were divided into two categories – category A and category B.
Category A sportsmen’s participation in international events was paid for by the government while those who fell into category B paid their own way.
“We should understand that because of the category system many national juniors missed the chance to participate in international level events because of financial problem.”
“Our Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has allocated millions of money to sport development.
“But, sad to say, many associations spent more on administration than on development of sport.
“We believe it is time the National Sport Council and Olympic Council of Malaysia dissolve the category systems in sports and treat all sportsmen representing the country fairly,” he said, adding that the surprise gold medal win by the national 4 x 400metres quartet in the ongoing South East Asia (SEA) Games was a strong message to both the sport councils to reconsider the category system.
More observers than sportsmen
In the SEA Games in Indonesia, Subramaniam said the bulk of the contingent’s budget had gone towards funding non-players.
“For example, Malaysia spent RM2.2 million for 261 officials, 59 VIPs, 279 observers and 355 sportsmen for the SEA games.
“The rest of the 253 were category B sportsmen who spent their own money to prove themselves.
“What kind of system is this?” he asked.
Subramaniam also pointed out that the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU) had an absurd ratio of more than one observer per government-funded athlete.
“MAAU took 45 observers where the total track and field athletes are 16 under category A.
“Eighteen other athletes in category B financed their own participation. The ratio of observers to fully financed athletes is absurd.
“This means more than one observer for every athlete… it’s too much,” said Subramaniam, who also raised concern over the future of Malaysian athletics.
He said that although athletes under the MAAU won six gold medals, none of them were new faces.
No new faces
Malaysia’s six gold medals in the track and field events came from Noraseela Khalid (400m hurdles), Lo Choon Sieng (20km walk), Lee Hup Wei (high jump), Tan Song Hwa (hammer), Roslinda Samsu (pole vault) and the 4x400m relay team men.
“Despite MAAU achieving its target, it is a clear that MAAU has failed to cultivate new gold- winning athletes.
“The victories in the SEA Games came from the old faces,” he told FMT.
He recalled that Malaysia was once champions in the track and field events not only in the SEA Games but also in Asia, but today other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia have overtaken Malaysia.
He said that part of the blame rested with the poor administration of the MAAU.
He urged the Youth and Sports Ministry to set up a special task force to probe into MAAU’s structure and operation system.
“We believe that the inefficiency of MAAU is one major cause of Malaysian athletes’ performance declining in the international arena,” Subramaniam said, adding that MIC Youth was not the only group that was critical of MAAU.
He said many parties as well as athletes had complained about the system within MAAU.
The latest rant came from national track and field athlete Noraseela Khalid.
On Wednesday, Noraseela reportedly slammed MAAU for neglecting the welfare of its athletes.
She lambasted the MAAU for bringing home the Malaysian 4x400m men’s quartet of S Kannathasan, P Vuvaraj, Schzuan Ahmad Rosely and Mohd Yunus La Salleh even before the medal presentation ceremony.
The quartet were the surprise winners of a gold medal in the event which was held on Monday. The medal presentation ceremony was scheduled for the next day.
Poor excuse
Responding to Noraseela’s angst, MAAU deputy president Karim Ibrahim told her not to be a “poodle” of others who were trying to destroy the union.
Karim said the MAAU did not have the power to reschedule the medal presentation ceremony, which was the prerogative of the organising committee and neither could it delay the quartet’s flight home as the flights were fully booked out of Palembang at the time.
But Subramaniam described Karim’s statement as a “poor excuse”.
‘It’s not impossible to reschedule their return after the medal presentation. What is wrong paying extra money for accommodation and flight for our golden boys?” he asked.
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