Nakhoda popular, tak pandai kemudi?

Masih ada dalam pemikiran yang mengganggu, selepas melihatkan barisan kepimpinan baru Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM).

Paling utama, mengenai nasib Liga Malaysia yang membabitkan Liga Super, Liga Perdana dan Piala Presiden.

Aku nak tanya, siapa yang akan diberi tanggungjawab jadi 'nakhoda' untuk mengemudi perjalanan pertandingan? Siapa yang benar-benar layak? Yang mampu ketepikan kepentingan dan agenda persatuan negeri sendiri demi kepentingan bola sepak negara?

Semua orang tahu, untuk cari pemain terbaik, kita perlu ada liga dan pertandingan yang mantap. Pertandingan pula perlu ditadbir dengan baik - berdasarkan keputusan-keputusan terbaik yang diputuskan oleh jawatankuasa pertandingan.

Persoalannya kini, siapa nak jadi Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertandingan Tempatan FAM? Tradisinya, jawatan ini diisi oleh salah seorang Naib Presiden. Tetapi minta maaflah, daripada empat yang terpilih, aku tak nampak ada yang cukup berwibawa.

Mari kita lihat satu persatu:

Datuk Subahan Kamal - ahli politik yang punya komitmen pelbagai. Tidak mungkin akan ada masa untuk duduk memikirkan butiran-butiran kecil dan halus untuk menjadikan liga lebih kompetitif. Jadi penolong pengurus pasukan negara bolehlah, sebab tuntutan masanya tidak akan sehebat untuk jadi pengerusi jawatankuasa pertandingan.

Datuk Hamidin Amin - kingmaker yang tidak boleh 'kikis bau Selangor'. Hamidin memang sentiasa perjuangkan nasib dan kepentingan Selangor, itu tugas dia. Jadi, susah untuk nampak dia jadi pengerusi jawatankuasa pertandingan. Sebab kalau keputusan yang dibuat baik pun, dia tak boleh lari daripada dituding jari sebagai nak jaga kepentingan Selangor.

Datuk Afandi Hamzah - berkesan sebagai pengerusi jawatankuasa peraturan. Buktinya? FAM dah berjaya ditukar ikut perlembagaan Fifa - kerja yang bukan senang sebab ia bermakna kuasa persatuan negeri dalam badan induk sudah kurang. Tapi untuk jadi pengerusi pertandingan, aku rasa dia belum cukup kuat.

Datuk Abdullah Hishan - lagi lah tak boleh. Bukan nak menafikannya, tetapi Hishan must understand that ' berkokok di luar lebih mudah' daripada jika dah duduk kat dalam FAM. I know!

So, sebagai gambaran kegagalan barisan kepimpinan baru FAM kali ini, aku ramalkan kemungkinan BUKAN Naib Presiden akan jadi pengerusi jawatankuasa pertandingan. Itu akan jadi polemik wajar untuk kita fikirkan -apakah pemilihan FAM itu lebih bersikap 'undi calon popular, bukan undi calon terbaik' yang menepati kehendak FAM?

Fikir-fikirkanlah...

Muka baru, revolusi baru FAM?

(Dari kiri: Datuk Abdullah Hishan, Datuk Subahan Kamal, Tengku Abdullah, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Datuk Hamidin Amin dan Datuk Afandi Hamzah)

Kongres Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) berakhir dengan kembalinya Tengku Mahkota Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah ke jawatan nombor dua badan induk itu. Turut bersamanya kali ini ialah Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Kelantan (KAFA).

Untuk jawatan 'pemimpin pelapis utama', Datuk Subahan Kamal, Datuk Hamidin Amin, Datuk Afandi Hamzah dan Datuk Abdullah Hishan, mengisi jawatan Naib Presiden FAM.

Lapan kerusi Ahli Jawatankuasa Eksekutif FAM diisi oleh:
Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, Datuk Astamam Abd Aziz, Mejar Rani Abdul Rahim, S Sivasundram, Dr Hamdan Katib, Othman Salleh, Rosmadi Ismail, Jeffry Loh.

Tahniah kepada semua yang menang. Kepada yang kalah, itu bukan alasan untuk 'mencipta huru hara.' Aku kagum dengan keperibadian Datuk Che Mat Jusoh, bekas Naib Presiden yang kecundang dalam cubaan untuk jawatan Timbalan Presiden. Dia tetap 'cool.'

Aku harap mereka yang menang mampu melaksanakan tugas dan tanggungjawab tergalas dengan sehebat mungkin. Sama hebatnya dengan keghairahan berkempen, terutama pada beberapa hari terakhir menjelang kongres itu.

Aku memilih untuk tidak membuat ulasan sebelum pemilihan, untuk mengelak posting dalam blog ini disalahtafsir sebagai menyokong mana-mana calon bertanding. Aku pernah terbabit dalam 'permainan' sebegini sebelumnya, jadi kali ini, aku memilih untuk bersikap neutral.

Tapi itu tidak menghalang beberapa calon daripada menghubungi aku. Minta untuk membantu.

Aku sedar, dengan sedikit pengaruh yang ada, mungkin aku mampu memainkan peranan. Tetapi pada masa sama, dengan 'kemarahan' peminat begitu membuak-buak - mahu melihat barisan kepimpinan baru yang lebih berwawasan - aku memilih untuk membiarkan perwakilan berdikari membuat pilihan.

Tapi itu bukan bermakna tiada yang berusaha. Banyak! Ramai! Lihat sahaja ulasan dan ramalan di dada-dada akhbar dan juga di saluran lainnya. Itu pilihan masing-masing. Itu agenda tersendiri.

Aku, seperti yang lain, amat mahukan angin perubahan. Bukan setakat sepoi-sepoi bahasa. Jika bola sepak negara perlukan taufan melanda, ia harus diusahakan. Jika gegar tsunami dituntut, ia wajar dijelmakan. Semuanya demi bola sepak negara - agenda yang harus kekal satu di minda setiap pemimpin yang diberi tanggungjawab sebaik berakhirnya kongres kali ini.

Ingat-ingatlah!

FAM in legal troubles?

The focus might be centered on the on-going campaigns by various individuals jockeying for top positions in the upcoming FA of Malaysia election, this Saturday.

But this is the latest info that I heard. Apparently, FAM is involves in some legal tussles.

I heard that FAM had been served with some court papers with regards to some unpaid monies owed to their former general secretary, Datuk Dell Akbar Khan. I also heard that FAM had decided to fight this one head-on. The national body had apparently hired one of the top law firm in the country to handle this case.

FAM had been dragged into some mess before. Remember their sacking of former national coach, B Sathianathan? I heard that it was settled amicably between the two parties. I also heard that, barring any last minute compromises, Azraai Khor might decide to go the same way and bring his 'premature termination' to court.

Datuk Dell? Apparently he was not being paid his dues during his tenure as General Secretary from 2000 until early 2005.

Can't comment much. Dont want to put myself in trouble. Anyone with some reliable info and confirmation, please enlighten me, okay?

One year!

On this day, last year, I started this blog. It's been a long year, with so many happenings.

There were many things that I had highlighted. Good and bad. Many stories in our local sporting scene which captured my attention. Along the way, few friends had turned into foes, many acquantainces have in fact become my friends.

I will try my best to remain true to the original idea when starting this blog - to highlight issues which I deemed as important, without fear of repercussions or bowing to favours from interested parties.

Its not easy, I must admit. There were 'interesting incidents' such when I was 'threatened' by people who dont like what I wrote. People who said things like 'I can put him in trouble because I know his boss' etc etc.

Well, what can I say. I say things as I see it. Plain and simple. If you feel that you have done nothing wrong, there's nothing to worry. But if you are in the wrong, please don't try to intimidate me. The truth, even when it's being hidden six feet deep, will always find its way to the surface.

For all my readers, thank you. I appreciate the interest shown towards my blog.

Here's hoping for many interesting years ahead! Thank you

MAAU = 'Must All Account (be) Unveiled?'

Surprise! surprise!.

Yesterday, I received an email from someone who I consider as friend. He said that I am in danger of turning my blog exclusively for badminton. He said that its better if I expose more wrongdoings in other sports associations too.

Understood sir. Okay, lets start with something else. Why not we train our sight towards Malaysia Amateur Athletics Union (MAAU).

To be precise, the Standard Chartered KL Marathon which was 'organised' by MAAU recently.

I would like to ask few questions to MAAU, and the 'real organisers' .

I found it puzzling that for such a big event, no one really know the true figures of monies being made. Apparently, transparency is not the order of the day. I was told that Standard Chartered gave around RM1.5 million for the right to be the title sponsor.

Other sponsors also chipped in, either in term of money or kind. For argument sake, lets just say all that amounted to around RM1.75 million.

This year, as acknowledged by the organisers, about 15,000 runners took part. One runner's entry fee is about RM50. So, 15,000 X RM50 = RM750,000.00. Combined both figures, we get a solid number of RM2.5 million.

Lets minus the cost of running the event. Lets estimate it at RM1 million. Believe me, that figure is already very high. But never mind.

All that will leave us with RM1.5 million. And how much of that profits goes to MAAU? RM500,000.00! Only 33.33 percent! What happened to another 66.66 percent?!

This is another case of sports association being run by 'clever people' who let other people take the big chunk of profits. Just like BAM and the ING sponsorship which I highlighted before.

Or....is there a hidden agenda somewhere...With no transparency, it means that no one will really know who pocketed how much, right?

I am guessing here. Maybe little bit of speculation too. So, anyone with credible info, please help me in this, ya!

Journalist vs Blogger

What is the difference between a blogger and a journalist?

Whilst journalist will have to be go through his editor, who act as his 'gatekeeper', before his news is published, blogger does not have such 'restrictions.'

I am, again, skating on thin ice here. Because blogging is something that is widely accepted now.

It just that, being someone who was raised in the nitty gritty of the traditional media before I embarked onto the blogosphere, I am 'concerned and worried' about the 'half-truths' that had been dished out by certain quarters lately.

I am not against gossip or whatever bits of news that you heard from the grapevine. I did that too. But before I post something, I normally will do my own checking first.

Just that lately, there are bloggers who simply post something which they casually heard. Or commenting, making stand, influencing or even criticising based on what they would like to believe.

Take, for example, trip by technical group comprised of reps from National Sports Council, Football Association of Malaysia and Ministry of Education to Everton football academy to check out the place, last month.

That trip was quickly branded as a waste of money, that Malaysia should not pick Everton, with one pundit - who obviously doesn't have much information on the topic - quickly wants to be clever and suggested that 'Barcelona is the better destination!'.

Let me ask you something - when you want to buy a car, what you normally do? You go to the showroom and have a good look at it first, right? How about if you want to marry someone? You check the person out, too, right?

So, if that's the case, why must certain quarters make a lot of noise when something is still just at the 'merisik' (finding out) stage? Unless they have hidden agendas which require all 'that noise' in order to realise it!.

To make it worse, little birds whisper to me that at Everton was never a shoo-in. Everton was just a few of the places which are being scrutinised. At the end, Everton might not be the one at all.

But I can also foresee that this certain quarters, if its true that Everton will not be the one, will claim credit that they ACTUALLY prevented the choice.

This is the beauty of blogosphere.

You can criticise something that not yet existed, crucify people whose sins were just to lead the 'merisik' delegation and then claim credit for something which is NOT supposed to happen in the first place! FANTASTIC!!!

Let's be objective, la.

That's why, for all the clamours of the modern era and freedom that the blogosphere provides, it has not won the battle of credibility that still tilts towards the traditional media.

Antara Azizul dan Chong Wei

Updates:

Azizulhasni Awang telah dipilih sebagai pemenang Anugerah Olahragawan Kebangsaan 2009 pada majlis penuh gilang gemilang, malam tadi.

Azizul, dalam ucapan sebaik diumumkan selaku pemenang, berjanji akan berusaha sedaya upaya untuk menjelmakan pingat emas pertama negara pada temasya Sukan Olimpik di London pada 2012 nanti.


Original posting:

Antara dua jaguh sukan negara ini - Azizulhasni Awang dan Lee Chong Wei - tidak banyak jadi pemisah.

Daripada segi komitmen terhadap tanggungjawab selaku atlit utama negara, kedua-dua memang dipuji dan jadi ikutan.

Kesungguhan Azizul memang tidak pernah dipertikai. Chong Wei pula diakui sebagai atlit yang sentiasa mahu memperbaiki persembahannya.

Cuma malam ini, akan ada penentuan terpaksa dilakukan. Kedua-duanya adalah calon utama untuk memenangi Anugerah Olahragawan Kebangsaan 2009.

Apa yang pasti, walau siapapun yang menang, kedua-duanya memang berhak diberi pengiktirafan!