MHF - Part 1 : "The takeover plot"

The regular visitor to the blog e-mailed me a 2 Part article of which i am posting only Part 1 today. It is his views and i think it is something hockey lovers should read. He seem to have titled it strangely, as though there is sure certainty of the outcome. Below is the text of Part 1 “Stage 1 takeover plot completed and secured?” Part 1 "With rumours that the President of MHF is not seeking re-election have raised questions on last year’s election compromise between both, the incumbent President and Deputy President. It must be true now since the decision not seeking re-election is construed as delivering his part of the bargain, thus relinquish the position for the Deputy President’s taking. What seem to be power sharing and transition period at the beginning was actually the reversed of things after the last elections. Without any doubt, it was clearly seen that the President was not in control of the situation after the last election, thus the slide in Malaysian hockey was not his direct doing as a matter of speech. Nevertheless he condoned to almost every demand made by this new group. The Deputy President in fact was already calling the shots, and as seen in public function exerted his position just like the Champions Trophy, where against protocol he was seated as the of Guest of Honour during the official dinner. In the prize giving ceremony, he was giving away the prize to the Champion. Where does the President fall in? Coincidently, the FIH President was reported to have left the country to due to some urgent matters. Having witness the existing catastrophes, can the present group be proud of their actions? How on earth are they going to continue managing Malaysian hockey and bring us back to Olympic and World Cup level? I guess the vision and plans will continue to be on an ad hoc basis and orchestrated by a group of money lenders and a blind free thinker who is a state coaching chairman, who also exerted his powers beyond his boundaries. Some will buy their ideas and believe that this group can still do the job, as there are many pending implementation. Sadly even after 1 year in office all these ideas shall remain in the pipeline without being executed due to their incompetence. Or maybe it is due to time and effort needed in their daily fire fighting routines. Ideas will continue to be painted applicable and the group will continue to market their claim to be capable. But are these ideas feasible to rectify Malaysian debacle. In the first place, Malaysian Hockey deterioration is actually their doing. In any transparent and civilised organisation, their resignation would have deemed appropriate. How can there be check and balance if the same group of people who are being audited for wrong doings, are actually the auditors themselves if they stand for office? Looking back, immediately after the last election, the road shows to visit the “alliance states” were done. Sarawak, Sabah, and Kelantan were the lucky states to have the new council members visiting their backyard. Problems were discussed at length. Kelantan was promised a new turf immediately. All affiliates were promised 500 hockey sticks, as the personal contribution by the Deputy as a gesture in promoting development at the states before the elections. All states were also promised an artificial turf then. But sad to note, these remains dreams yet to be fulfilled after nearly 2 years in power and probably will never be fulfilled. The new turf for states can be the secondary matter at the moment, but what about the important Junior World venue in Johor Baharu with only 8 months to go is still no where to be seen. Will we loose our Junior World Cup hosting job just like what Malaysia tried to influence India’s 2010 World Cup hosting campaign? After all India have a full 1.5 years and nearly lost the job and MHF has 8 months to-date to fulfil the conditions set by FIH. We will continue to witness more promises being made and these similar cycles will be seen again after the coming elections. Not withstanding all these undelivered promises, new promises will continue to be added on it, and all promises shall remain a mystical dream for sure. Out of the many promises it is evident that they have exercised to the best of their interest in delivering 2 promises in order to safe guard their positions. Two major areas were given extreme emphasis, appointment of managers for both national, junior and under 16 teams’ overseas assignment, and the appointment of coaches to the national team’s attachment program. Out of these arrangements, the states top brass casting the votes are probably the ones gaining personally. We see hockey at states suffers because MHF’s only promise to take care of the state top brass but no promises were given to kick-off any development programs. Rotation system was cleverly implemented, just like the “Substitution Rule” in the game as to upkeep their promises to reward the cronies. Development program for age group involving the essential tournaments proper has been abandon by MHF and pushing for MSSM to take over. What kind of National body will resort to this and wash their hands of development? But in the midst of this the Coaching Chairman was quoted saying in the local papers that the coaching committee is keen to help the schools by providing technical officials and qualified development coaches so that we can arrest this problem as soon as possible. Going forward their triumph card strategy of buying vote couple with the existing unsolved allegations and the national team’s poor performance will surely affect the quantum of funding by NSC and corporate companies. Both NSC and TNB the main corporate sponsor having a heavy responsibility to answer to the public and shareholders cannot continue to commit to MHF demands. As such, can MHF continue with this luxury arrangement in funding their overseas training without depending on others? This practise of giving managers “free trips” as how the players put it because they only get to know the manager at the airport and if they are lucky on the day of departure at NSC car park. The sponsors will definitely disassociate themselves from this negative publicity. TNB the main sponsors was extremely disappointed when the press release on claims by MHF that TNB being a corporate company owed MHF, RM500K. Sapura the other sponsor was also in the same boat having given sponsorship from time to time was also mentioned in the press release owing MHF monies. All these will temporary be forgotten when the elections draw nearer. Rounds of drinks and “brotherhood gathering” with the press, cronies and runners will be strategies to market for them. As always there will never be integrity and accountability in the gathering as money normally changes hands like the last elections. To some these are the facts of life but on the other side of the coin these are disgraceful act, should they know the meaning of it! " Please note Part 2 is to follow. Is Malaysian hockey heading that way? It is a dangerous trend if what is stated are FACTS. Sports m,ust be governed by people who know the sports and have the time and commitment to do it. It should not be seen as a platform for personalities to hold the post for power and glamour. The article posted is very provoking in view but i felt it need to be posted in view of the sad state of affairs in Malaysian hockey.