What that does equal, failures to say the least. That is the sad state of affairs of Malaysian sports as we usher our 52nd year of independence.
The nation was born on sporting grounds at the stroke of midnight on Aug 31, 1957, at the Selangor Padang (now known as Dataran Merdeka) and at the Merdeka Stadium, where the proclamation of independence was held the next morning. Such is the rich history of sports in this country that we remember our regional and international achievements over the years which has united Malaysians in our pride for the nation.
So what did really go wrong? Does it have to do with the prophecy of Tan Sri Abu Samah, one time Law Minister who was later the OCM President as he was said to have regretted the formation of the NSC by saying that he had created a monster?
FAM has a litany of failures and what was written by Eric Samuel in the Sunday Star was just the tip of the iceberg. Can we construe the decision of not making changes to the competition structure after being directed to do so by the President Sultan Ahmad Shah as "menderhaka"?
But one thing is certain, MHF and FAM have something in common, and its not that it is being headed by the Pahang royalty, but both of them do not have Assistant Secretaries. Are we to assume that both the Secretaries are afraid of their own shadows and that is why prefer to leave the position vacant.
BAM, it has to thank Lee Chong Wei for all the financial support its having as one look down the ladder will show a pitch black hole with no light at the end of the tunnel. They have their priorities wrong and the President should just hand over the Chairmanship of the Coaching Committee to a technical man.
As for SRAM, Tunku Imran was spot on as he said that squash may well end up as it did in Singapore, here today, no where tomorrow. Wonder what former Exec Director of SRAM Kol (B) Wong Ah Jit will have to say as squash has no development to show for the past few years. And before some lays claim about Low Wee Wern, her path was planned when Nicol David won the 2001 Junior title in Penang.
How can we forget the glorious years when our national soccer team used to whip the daylights out of South Korea and Japan in the famous Merdeka Tournament, which was the idea of Tunku Abdul Rahman who was also responsible for the Merdeka Stadium being built in record time for the Merdeka celebrations.
The national team played in the 1972 Munich Olympics and again qualified in 1980 for the Moscow Games, but boycotted the Games for political reasons.
It was not only soccer that Malaysia excelled in but we had the likes of Wong Peng Soon and Eddy Choong dominating the All-England badminton championships from 1950-57, while Tan Aik Huang won in 1966. Malaya also dominated the Thomas Cup from 1949 to win thrice (1949, 1952, 1955) and then again in 1967, before last winning the cup in 1992.
We had the likes of Datuk Dr M. Jegathesan and Ishtiaq Mubarak reaching great heights in athletics in the Olympics. And who can forget the electrifying 1975 World Cup hockey semifinals played at the Merdeka Stadium where Malaysia achieved its best outing in the championship.
Happy Merdeka everyone...
