Bravo ! Mirnawan Nawawi

One of Malaysia's greatest hockey star, Mirnawan Nawawi was one of those in the forefront for wanting a change in MHF in 2008. He was involved with the 102 former hockey international group who petitioned to the various parties to stimulate changes in Malaysian hockey. Indeed as a key member, he apparently played a major role in the preparation and submission of the over 100 pages of the "road map" for the rejuvenation of Malaysian hockey. This was presented to the Sports Minister and MHF, who in the haste of the moment wanted it to be fully implemented. Nothing has happened since and like many other things, the document just gets buried with dust.

In the new MHF set-up, Mirnawan became a much wanted official. Firstly, he was nominated into the elite Wawasan Committee of MHF. This so called high powered supervisory and monitoring committee, is to ensure that MHF is heading in the right direction. Again, it seem that too has become a figment of someone's imagination and has not materialise in its role.

Thereafter, Mirnawan was appointed to MHF's Team Management Committee (TMC), chaired by his hometown friend, the Deputy President. The TMC is responsible for the appointment of the coaches and managers of the various national teams plus they look into the various aspects of the national teams. Indeed the conduct of the TMC has left a number of questions unanswered, drawing itself into controversy.

From the TMC, his services stretched by becoming the team manager of the national Under 16 team. Such is the popularity of Mirnawan that everyone wants him. Pity that Malaysia has only one "Mirnawan".

What Mirnawan did not appreciate as he extended his services to the various appointments in MHF, is the infringement of ethics and the positions of conflict. Sometimes the sheer enthusiasm makes one overlook the "means" and just focus on the end result. This would probably have been Mirnawan's style and approach . However good governance and accountability requires the aspect of the "means" to be of equal importance to that of the result. The "means" is essentially the policies and procedures that are drawn up to fulfill the Master Plan and its targets. Its is probably the absences of all these key ingredients in MHF that permits matters to be undertaken in an ad-hoc fashion.

What is good of Mirnawan, is, of late he has chosen to resign from the Wawasan Committee and the TMC. This way he has removed himself from positions of conflict and the infringement of ethics. He is now involved at the ground with the young boys, where he is at his best. Indeed what Mirnawan has done is something others must also follow, if they are honest in what they want to do for Malaysian hockey. These people have to take note that their presences in various positions would only go to "cloud" the issues and a "clear" vision would never materialise for the process of good decision making..

Well done Mirnawan Nawawi in being a professional in your thinking.