Race Base Sports - Will we ever succeed?

Sports, it is said, is the great unifier. It brings people together and makes them friends forever. Race, religion and colour are of no consequence; what really matters is ability and skills.

But is it, really?

A school in Johor has seen it fit to assign certain sports to certain races. Apparently, only Malays can play football, hockey and sepaktakraw and only Chinese can play basketball and table-tennis.

I have no idea where the Indians fit in. Maybe in badminton or petanque – yes petanque – which were open to all.

It’s a good thing that the deputy education minister and the sports minister have shot down the idea. Even the Tengku Mahkota of Johor has entered the arena, with a stern warning that these things should not happen.

The only problem is: these things do happen – again and again.

What happened in that Johor school was a manifestation of a much bigger problem – racial segregation in Malaysia as a whole.

We shout “sports for all” and yet believe that certain races are good in a certain sport. That’s a whole lot of hogwash.

Lee Chong Wei may have been the best shuttler in recent memory, but Misbun Sidek was his sifu. And the last time we won the Thomas Cup, it was Punch Gunalan who lifted the trophy.

Still, the myth is perpetuated.

Tan Cheng Hoe is the national football coach but just take a look at his team now preparing for the World Cup qualifiers in Bahrain next month.

Brendan Gan sticks out like a sore thumb, the only Chinese in the first team. London-born La’Vere Corbin-Ong and Australian-born Matthew Davies do not count while S Kumahraan and Darren Lok are mere peripherals.

How about the national hockey team? The tri-nations meet is now going on in Kuala Lumpur and the only non-Malay in sight is coach Arul Selvaraj.

Why aren’t we able to produce a new Soh Chin Aun, Wong Choon Wah or M Chandran in Malaysian football?

Or a Poon Fook Loke, Chua Boon Huat, M Mahendran or Sri Shanmuganathan in hockey? What happened to the Seranis – with names like Sta Maria, Nunis and Fidelis – or worse, the Singhs who were once the mainstay of Malaysian hockey?

Have they all given up on football and hockey? Or is there something wrong with our selection process?

Having been a sports journalist for almost two decades, I have heard many complaints about race-based favouritism in sports; of selection trials which were nothing but an eyewash.

Teams are pre-selected and those aspirants who want to break into the team are given 10 minutes on the field, during which no one passes the ball to them.

Then, they are told to go home and wait for the call that never comes.

It is not just about one race, either. Who says non-Chinese cannot play basketball or table-tennis?

K Satyaseelan was probably the best three-point shooter the country has produced and he was even national captain back in 2007. He is a distant memory now.

And how many people know of Mohd Shakirin Ibrahim who represented Malaysia in the world team table tennis championships in 2016? The team was led by the then national champion whose name is: Muhammad Ashraf Haiqal.

Ashraf remains the second-best player in the country although Shakirin is out of contention.

The point is: Everyone is capable of excelling no matter what his racial background. All it takes is acceptance and a fair chance.

Yet, there are those like the headmaster of that Johor school who will deny athletes this chance. Let’s be very clear on one thing – that headmaster is not alone. There are many like him.

It is actually a reflection of the endemic racism in our midst. Malaysia, as a whole, needs a paradigm shift – and better politicians.

Many football teams, even those in the Malaysian football league, are led by politicians who have no qualms about setting racial quotas for their teams.

These state FA leaders have been known to give orders that only a certain number of players from a certain race can be on the field at any one time.

A coach who defies this order can be sacked, even if he brings home the title.

The fans, too, are no angels, having been brainwashed by race-based Malaysian politics.

We saw it all laid bare by Selangor coach B Sathianathan recently when he came in for some nasty racist slurs. His crime? He had fielded “too many” Indians in a match.

It’s no surprise then that most non-Malays prefer to shy away from team sports where they are at the mercy of selectors. Instead, they switch to individual sports like badminton and squash.

In these sports, if you win, no one can deny you your place in the team.

The men’s squash team, for one, has Ng Eain Yow and Ivan Yuen alongside Mohd Syafiq Kamal while the women’s team has Low Wee Wern and S Sivasangari along with Aifa Azman.

Let’s not forget world beaters like Nicol David and Ong Beng Hee. They all made for a good mix.

In badminton, there is Lee Zii Jia, Cheam June Wei, Goh Jin Wei, Pearly Tan, S Kisona and M Thinaah with back-up players like Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Muhammad Shaqeem Shahyar.

It’s a truly Malaysian line-up.

It is indeed time to take heed of the Johor crown prince’s words – that schools must be a place to encourage unity, not division.

In fact, we should take it a little further and ensure that sports – at all levels – is about unity and meritocracy, never about race and favouritism.

And we need real action, not just lip service. It would be good to start with the schools – by changing the mindsets of teachers and headmasters.

D Raj - FMT

All comments are good comments. There are no bad comments or good comments. So everyone have the right to comment. How about you?

A nation of toxicity?

Good day to all and today i felt so lazy as the weather too is moody. I copied this article from FMT writen by Shangkar R Shantiram.

It is kind of simple writing but it does send out a great message to those who are hoping for better Malaysia.

Enjoy Reading...

In life and at work, you will meet all sorts of weird and wonderful people.

You will absolutely love working, and being with some of them. While with others, you might just enjoy being their colleague because you learn so much from them.

But, the nastiest type of co-worker or pseudo-friend is the one who is toxic.

The same goes for your leaders. There will be many bosses you adore. Then, there may also be others who are hard on you, but who you still can accept, because you trust them.

But, the most damaging leader is the one who is toxic.

Leaving aside your bosses at work for a second, it is clear that even leaders in the public domain have a dark side. All you have to do is follow our nation’s politics to see them in action.

Having to work or follow these toxic people will cause all kinds of problems for you.

Toxic people always revel in histrionics and melodramas. They are awfully demanding without actually being clear. And ultimately, they leave you in a cloud of negativity.

At work, you feel exhausted, exasperated and there is a huge trust deficiency when this happens.

Actually, I reckon most Malaysians feel exactly the same. We are fatigued and distrusting of each other, and our leaders.

The stress caused by the negative impact of toxic people leaves both physical and mental scars. And, this makes it all the more important for you to recognise, and steer clear of them.

In any organisation, the senior executives have the power to create an environment that allows people to grow and give their best. Or alternatively, the same people can create a toxic workplace, where everyone is unhappy.

This doesn’t just happen at the workplace.

In civil society groups, sporting associations, religious bodies, voluntary organisations, and especially in the management of a nation, good leaders always serve the bigger picture, and work towards bringing people and communities together.

Self-obsessed leaders on the other hand, demoralise and create discord everywhere they go. And eventually, the environment in any given community becomes lethal for everyone.

All organisations in Malaysia, just like the nation itself, are plural societies. In this type of situation, leaders must be embracing, selfless and handle things with mindfulness.

Sound, stable bosses generally build companies where the rules make sense to employees, and it frees them to focus on performing their jobs well.

But if the leader is a toxic personality, the ideas generated in the organisation will be warped. And, even the systems and structure, will reflect on his or her toxicity.

At work, you will always find people who think differently from you. Differing opinions and varying viewpoints are natural in any organisation. And this is absolutely fine. You certainly need a variety of perspectives to get results.

Having differing opinions doesn’t constitute toxicity. So, how then do you identify a toxic person?

The first signal is negativity. Do not confuse toxic people with realists. You will have realistic people in your company, and often you will think they are just being negative.

Know the difference.

Co-workers who are problematic thrive in a negative attitude. They are overly sarcastic, and they moan nonstop about everything. They complain when you give them work, and they will complain if you don’t. Everything is only on their terms.

Toxic people will not apologise. They will not see any reason to, under any circumstance. For them, things are always someone else’s fault.

In most instances, these types will try to orchestrate relationships only to serve themselves. And, they will try to gain sympathy, and attention by claiming “victim” status.

If someone cannot accept that they might be wrong at times, and are defiant no matter what evidence or proof is presented to them; they are definitely “toxic”.

They have very little care for others, and you cannot depend on any support from them. All their actions will be self-serving, so they cannot function effectively in a team. Instead, they will actually be counter-productive in any team endeavour.

Stay away from people who find fault at every opportunity, and make you out to be wrong at every chance. Loyalty is an alien concept for them.

Finally, one of the significant indicative signs of a toxic person is their lack of empathy or consideration towards other people. They won’t give a damn about what you are going through.

Be vigilant and do not get drawn in to these types.

Whether it’s at work, in your friendships, in the organisations that you volunteer at, and at your religious or spiritual congregations – keep a watchful eye out for toxic people who will destroy harmony.

Most of all, as citizens of a rainbow nation like Malaysia, always be cautious and eschew leaders who thrive in creating chaos, and in bringing their unbridled toxicity to the public domain.

Malaysia cannot afford to be a nation of toxicity.

All comments are good comments. There are no bad comments or good comments. So everyone have the right to comment. How about you?

Political Maggot That Ride on Dog Shit

I didn't plan to write, and I dont know what I should touch on but I knew there are many topics that we can share.

Among those are those in politics. Why we should look into political issues and those who play play (main main) with politics?

Among those are those came from the family of nation leaders. And the same person has been the youngest YB once upon a time. With such experience, I believe he can be the one who can do better than his father.

But we could never understand when the same person stole so much money and together with his wife, they thought they can buy the world. but at the end the karmatic circle have take all away that was gathered illegally against the law of almighty.

This doesn't end where by his spouse lost all the diamonds that was own illegally by her. She lost her fake beauty, she lost respect and she is another witch lady in town I would say.

Another political maggot came from a humble beginning. But when he was given power as no 2 in the country, he admitted he was born in neighboring country. He made this statement in their national TV broadcast.

He claim he is immortal but at the end he is now in the mid of finding his own survival. More than 80 charges would just land him in deep shit of his own.

And the story goes to another converted who manage to out come the origin. Because the origin believes the converted convert because his heart was open to convert but in fact he convert because he saw so much money need protection under his care.

Can you just imagine, half a million in stack of cash in his house and he denies all allegation by telling the world that this is his political money. Can you see whats coming? A political donation money kept is cash in his house because his political party dont have bank account. Hehehehe..

Laugh and it is not enough, a man who was in charge of this department over billion RM paid  to purchase helicopter but even he shadow been seen. And the best part is, the engine of the fighter jet gone missing and found in Argentina. Can anyone beat this terror of Malaysian politicians? Surprisingly he is still there waiting for his turn to be the PM of Malaysia.

I feel above story would beat Mr Sardar Singh jokes.

With this I present the story of Hikayat Ketua Jabatan

Orang bergelar itu ternama dalam lapangannya. Jika disebut namanya pasti dikenal orang. Nama OB atau Orang Bergelar itu memang tak basah kepam dek hujan atau lekang diterik mentari.

OB selalu sebut-sebut yang Islam-Islam. Orang percaya OB sebab dia pernah naik haji tiga kali. Satu kali masa belum sunat, iaitu masa masih kanak-kanak lagi dibawa sama ke Mekah oleh ibu bapa. Baru darjah enam tatkala itu sudah dapat tengok Kaabah. Sungguh suci. Satu kali lagi lepas OB cukup tabungan, naik haji sebab nak bawakan isteri. Memang hebat. Kali ketiga OB naik haji ikut rombongan menteri. Dia bawa sama isteri kedua.

OB orang percaya, sebab dia suka main umrah. Takkanlah ulang alik cium Hajarul Aswad dan berguling dalam Hijir Ismail sambil tadah mulut nganga waktu hujan boleh buat begitu. Lagipun apa yang begitu? Buat apa, buat begitu, buat apa?

Makan rasuah? Hissy. Takkanlah kaki main umrah dan sudah tiga kali berhaji masih hulur tangan? Akan tetapi itulah, bak kata Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, ketua polis Johor;

“Duit rasuah pergi haji. Dia ambil rasuah banyak-banyak, RM3 ke RM4 juta setahun, dan tiap-tiap tahun dia pergi menunaikan haji. Lepas itu dia minta ampunlah. Balik, minta rasuah lagi. Tahun depan pergi haji lagi. Betul? Ada karakter macam itu, kan?”

Ayob menyatakan sedemikian dalam satu rancangan TV iaitu Agenda Awani bersama hos Nazri Kahar. Oleh sebab yang mengatakan ini adalah polis yang memang kompeten kerjanya maka kita tidak dapat menyangkal lagi.

Begitulah perangai OB. Naik umrah nganga rasuah, naik umrah lagi terngadah kembali. Begitu berulang-ulang. Kerja seleweng begitu susah orang nak percaya, sebab OB sangat dikenali dalam bidangnya. Kalau OB berucap dia akan seru-seru nama Nabi, bila sebut nama Nabi, OB terus rasa macam nak sujud atas sejadah masa itu juga.

OB pandai berpantun dan tulis puisi sufi. Dalam bait-bait sajak itu dia habis perasan dia Rumi. Bukan main dia bermadah perihal kemulusan agama, kesucian Yang Maha Esa, bahawa dunia memerlukan neraca. Bukan main.

Orang memang percaya OB. Lagipun anak sulungnya mengenakan niqab, walaupun nampak juga bayang-bayang tahi lalat pada puncak hidung. OB memang mustahil terima rasuah.

Akan tetapi ada satu yang orang awam tidak mengetahui. OB memang betul-betul kaki seleweng. Sekecil-kecil harta pejabat pun OB pusing jadi harta dia.

Isteri pertama OB buka kilang roti. Sebab, lepas kecewa OB berkahwin satu lagi, dia hanya memberi perhatian kepada roti. Ada roti john, ada roti Mary, ada roti Ah Seng, ada juga roti Letchumi. Pendek kata pelbagai jenis roti panjang pendek bulat lonjong ada inti tak ada inti ada punat kismis atau kosong lemak-lemak susu, ringkasnya macam-macam.

Bila isteri pertama itu uli tepung dia membayangkan OB yang dia uli. Itulah orang terpendem ekspresi, jangan buat main radikalnya.

Ceritanya OB ambil alat penghawa dingin milik pejabat dan pindahkannya ke kilang roti isteri. Itu sebab isteri pertama OB selalu panas sejak dia kahwin satu lagi. Justeru untuk beri kedinginan, OB hadiahkan penghawa dingin. Cuma alat penyejuk itu datangnya dari aset kerajaan.

Mula-mula orang yang dengar macam tak percaya. Oh My God, PU*# betul, takkanlah OB berperangai cha-masa, sedangkan dia selalu beri tazkirah Demi Masa. Itulah dia, bak kata Ayob; “lepas itu dia minta ampunlah”.

Akan tetapi yang terpaling tahu perangai OB ini tidak lain tidak bukan ialah drebarnya. Dia tahu metah perangai OB sebagai Ketua Jabatan. Drebar OB itu pun tidaklah senonoh sangat. Beginilah, inilah jenis manusia yang potong lalang kalau melalang, potong maman kalau tumbuh maman. Orang zaman ini bilang “play safe”.

Jika angin bertiup ke utara dia akan sembah China, jika badai menolak ke tenggara dia akan sembah Modi pula. Janji dia tidak pindah ke lain jabatan. Jadinya drebar OB ini punya hikayat begini:

Waktu Orang Bergelar atau OB hendak menikah satu lagi, dialah tukang sorong kenderaan membawakan bosnya ke tempat nikah kahwin. Pagi itu OB beritahu dia ada acara di nun satu tempat. Ada acara promosi harimau menangis. Macam biasa OB turun segak dengan baju Melayu yang sepersalinan.

Meskipun dalam hati drebar ada tersedik dia nampak tampan macam pencetus ummah tetapi drebar buat-buat biasa. Lagipun, memang selalukan OB melaram macam budak baru tercetus jerawat lapan biji. Kalau orang mengusik macam pengantin, OB akan pura-pura berastaga sambil melawak meraba-raba kocek sebalik kain sampinnya hendak mencari duit kecil.

Dasar hulur rasuah, makan rasuah. Sikit-sikit nak hulur.

OB beritahu acaranya itu sekian-sekian, melancarkan program demi bangsa dan agama katanya. Siap ada alamat diberi. Makin dekat tempat dituju, makin OB nampak gelisah. Kemudian OB suruh melencong. Drebar bilang kalau diikutkan Waze belok kanan, tetapi OB suruh belok kiri sebab Waze dicipta Yahudi.

OB suruh cari papan tanda seberang jalan dengan muka Sanusi. Jika dah jumpa muka Sanusi baru buat “u-turn”. Kemudian OB perintah drebar belok kiri, jalan terus, masuk simpang tiga, cari lorong kecil, rentas jalan besar, dan akhirnya tiba di sebuah masjid kampung yang kecil comel dan telah siap berkhemah terbentang depan laman.

OB turun malu-malu, ada kompang ada bunga manggar yang pelbagai warna itu, ada warna merah-merah bersatu dengan hijau-hijau Kubang Kerian duduk sekali tercucuk pada betik yang tampak tak sempat meranum sudah ditebuk.

Drebar bingung juga, tapi mungkin juga inilah acara umat yang dikatakan OB. Memang begitulah terkadang orang kampung menyambut orang-orang bergelar, terlebih-lebih sebab maklumlah dapat bantuan maka apa salahnya meneran. Akan tetapi lama kelamaan drebar makin perasan, ini bukan acara umat atau program bangsa. Ini adalah majlis nikah OB buat kali kedua.

Drebar rasa macam barua waktu itu. Macam Idan kata Udin bodoh, Udin balas Idan bangang. Itulah perasaan bongoknya tatkala itu. Drebar menyumpah-nyumpah binawe dalam hati, itulah cara dia mencegah kemungkaran yakni dengan hati. Padahal drebar boleh saja bergerak pergi dan tinggalkan OB di situ seorang diri. Pandailah dia nanti.

Akan tetapi drebar tetaplah perangai drebar. Siap dia berlagak macam rombongan menghantar, bila orang sendukkan nasi minyak lauk paha ayam merah, dia yang angkat pinggan atas paras dada menadah lima enam senduk siap memuji sedap-sedap. Drebar memasang telinga. Dia menangkap cerita Bidan Cik Kiah, yang pengantin perempuan baru 18 tahun, belum umur mengundi dah disunting lelaki berusia.

Drebar tahu itu salah, bahawa perkahwinan itu menggunakan kereta jabatan, iaitu kereta kerajaan. Kereta milik kerajaan itu milik pembayar cukai yang sah. Kereta dengan duit orang awam, kebertanggungjawaban kata kuliah mingguan unit integriti yang entah bila hendak ambil tindakan setelah orang membuat laporan.

Bukan sahaja kereta itu milik orang awam secara teorinya, duit minyak yang melincirkan kenderaan itu dan duit tol yang dibayar untuk majlis pernikahan itu adalah duit orang awam belaka. Drebar tahu itu salah. Drebar tahu itu boleh menjadi asbab masuk neraka. Drebar tahu itu menjadi punca nanti dia kena sesah dalam kubur.

Akan tetapi bak kata Ayob, “lepas itu dia minta ampunlah”.

OB naik kereta dengan budak muda itu siap memperkenalkan bini tersebut, siap bermadah Juwie dia; “doakan saya dapat anak mujtahid daripada sayang saya ini”. Allahu. Sebab drebar itu drebar dia pun bertakbir, Allahuakbar.

Orang tak berapa percaya kisah OB ini. Drebar tetaplah drebar, dia balik ke pejabat dia bercerita dengan peon dan kerani yang Ketua Jabatan kahwin satu lagi. Semua berkerumun macam jemaah haji melekap-lekap di Jabal Rahmah, mendengar cerita. Semua tercengang dan mulut ternganga.

Namun bila OB melangkah masuk memberi salam dengan muka berseri-seri sebab baru pulang bulan madu di Langkawi, sekian kerani peon dan drebar pun habis rasa jengkel. Masing-masing tetaplah sekian kerani peon dan drebar.

Mereka malah mengusik OB tampak gagah dan bau kolar baju Melayunya ada bau Makjun Pak Tani. OB pun gelak. Kerani peon dan drebar pun gelak. Sama-sama gelak ingkak. Yang kita kena gelak. Sebab orang di luar semua tidak percaya hikayat ini.

Manalah orang hendak percaya, OB naik haji tiga kali, dan main umrah berkali-kali. Sebagai Ketua Jabatan dia malah menggalak staf tinggal pejabat untuk sembahyang dhuha. Lagipun siapa mahu mendengar kisah rasuah seorang Ketua Jabatan. Mana ada kisah rasuah. Ini semua Mahathir buat hal.

Dan lagipun, salah Ketua Jabatan itu kecil-kecil saja, bukan sampai macam kartel boleh beli banglo, menimbun duit dan ada helikopter sebuah dua untuk jalan-jalan ke Langkawi bila serasa bosan duduk di kota.

Selamat terhibur...

All comments are good comments. There are no bad comments or good comments. So everyone have the right to comment. How about you?