MHF leadership thinks "MHF is their private playground".

Johnson Fernandez of Malay Mail wrote an article titled "MHF need to be rescued" on Monday's 22nd September 2008 newsprint. See www.mmail.com.my, under "Sports". Johnson is no ordinary personality in the journalist world. He is one of those who does not mince his words and gets straight to the point. I have kept abreast with his articles particularly in hockey. His passion for hockey is not only journalism inclined, as he is also a hockey coach doing his share of development with young kids. In my books, when Johnson voices a view, I would tend to give it a serious thought.

How right is Johnson as he questions whether MHF is the "private playground" of the President and Deputy President. Obviously these 2 people think that they can determine who should become President between them. In fact I cannot blame them as in the last 2 years both of them had a good ride in MHF despite the following:

• Poor performance of the various National Teams including failure to qualify for World Cup and Olympics.
  
• Allegations on match fixing and the failure to carry out an in-house investigation, notwithstanding a Police investigation.
  
• Organising Champions Trophy without proper approval process in MHF.
• Incurring debts of RM1.3m for Champions Trophy.
• Misleading MHF's Council on the appointment of the 3 man Panel.
• Bidding for Junior Hockey World Cup 2009 as co-hosts with Johor Baru as venue, while NSC's support was as if Malaysia would be organising and that Kuala Lumpur shall be the venue.
• Not providing progress reports on the preparation of Junior Hockey World Cup to MHF Council.
• Accounts submitted to Council are pre-numbered and only given at the meeting. It is recollected once the meeting is over.
• Abdication of the age group tournaments and the Champions Schools tournament.
  

In any other progressive National Hockey Federations such acts would not have been tolerated and the people responsible would have been given the "marching orders". Some how here the Affiliates seem to be extremely tolerant or just could not be bothered or may be too frightened of the consequences of asking questions.

End of the day what is going on in MHF is due to fact that Affiliates have permitted it to happen. They have failed in their duties to exercise their rights to ensure that MHF acts properly. Part of the reason is Affiliates' representatives are given ad-hoc appointments including overseas trips with the teams as a way of "currying" favours.

Sometimes the question is also asked of National Sports Council (NSC) ambivalent attitude towards MHF. They are the principal financier's of MHF i.e all the Coaches and Players salaries, the G.M or Executive Secretary's salary, the Consultants' fees and all the overseas trips expenditure. The other expenditures that are also borne by NSC is the field bookings, the fitness and gym trainers, the dietitian, the masseurs and at times the cooks. Finally, one should not forget the Development programme under Sukan Teras, which has about 400 coaches and 200 centres. Despite all this, NSC seem to go along with MHF as if hockey is currently bringing significant glory to the nation.

I raise this point because MHF gives the impression that they are doing everything. This is a fallacy and the joke is that they do not have much to do if they know how to manage. As for NSC in reality they are carrying the burden and continue to do so. Yet! MHF questions the wisdom of the Sports Minister's decision on the foreign coach and the task force for 2012 Olympics. which on the first place was agreed by its President. There seem to be some form of "wayang kulit" that is taking place in the hierarchy of MHF.

The Affiliates of MHF have to be decisive and not fall for the "gimmicks" of some of the personalities. Why are they so desperate to hold to positions, when they have not performed. I cannot find a valid reason for them. However I can find many reasons why they should gracefully leave the hockey scene and allow MHF and hockey to be saved.