KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 – Ambitious Terengganu FC has added more quality to its squad for the new Malaysian League season with former Australian international, Christopher Gerd joining the Turtles.
More importantly, the East Coast hopefuls are also beefing up their squad for their AFC Cup campaign.
Terengganu will join Kedah for Malaysia’s challenge in the AFC Cup. Seven-time Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim are in the AFC Champions League.
The 1.73 meters tall Herd joins Namibian Petrus Shitembi who played for Sabah last season, Filipino Carli de Murga, and Brazilian David da Silva – the man who replaces Mauritina hitman Dominique Da Silva as the hitman.
Murga fills up the Asean quota vacated by Singapore international Faris Ramli.
Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain wants quality in the team after Terengganu FC was picked for the AFC Cup slot when the Malaysia Cup competition was canceled at the quarter-final stage due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the past, the Malaysia Cup champions are Malaysia’s second AFC Cup representative.
Nafuzi, who was one of those nominated for the Best Coach of the Year in the recent National Football Awards 2020, has been retained for the new season but he is left with a mammoth task for the new season after losing influential skipper Lee Tuck.
However, the former international has not let the setbacks stand in the way to rebuild the Turtles into a force.
The new signings have given him and the team hope. Shitembi was a hit with Sabah and the nimble-footed former Namibian international earned a nickname – ”Dancing Shoes”. Nafuzi is hoping that Shitembi and his dancing shoes will win over the Terengganu fans with his brand of football.
This year’s M-League kicks off with the Charity Shield match between JDT and Kedah. The curtain raiser will be played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru on Feb 26.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 – Malaysians woke up to a spate of bad news after ushering in the new year – from bad weather in many parts of the country, a ferry tragedy in Batang Lupar River in Sarawak that left nine dead, a helicopter crash in West Port, Klang that injured two, and a capsized boat in Pulau Perhentian in Terengganu.
A pickup truck laden with passengers is reported to have fallen into the Batang Lupar River off a ferry. Early reports stated that nine bodies have so far been recovered and many of the dead are believed to be family members.
The helicopter crash comes less than two months after two helicopters from the same company collided in mid-air in Taman Melawati that left two dead. One of the helicopters crashed while another managed to land at a nearby school field.
The boat incident in Terengganu left five passengers missing. Four were later rescued while one remains missing according to the latest reports.
However, it is the news, hours into the new year, that reported the termination of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) that jolted the people although the writing was on the wall and was not a surprise to those who knew what was happening to the much-acclaimed project.
The termination came just hours after the HSR Agreement lapsed on Dec 31, 2020. The bilateral agreement for the project was signed in December 2016. The termination is expected to cost Malaysia nothing less than RM300 million in compensation.
Malaysia ad previously compensated Singapore RM45 million when the HSR project was suspended for two years to May 31, 2020, under the Pakatan Harapan government.
In his new year message, hours earlier, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin outlined five priorities with the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines and implementation of a nationwide vaccination program topping the list.
Muhyiddin also urged leaders to ensure political stability, governance, and administration as it is the ”foundation of economic recovery” as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country.
However, Muhyiddin should arrest the ‘cartel’ of dirty politicians and their cronies first to stop racial politics that has hit a new high in Malaysia.
The cartel is playing a very perilous game, and it has plunged Malaysia to a new low internationally – something which Malaysia can ill afford as it is a multi-racial and multi-religious nation often referred to as the melting-pot.
Muhyiddin cannot ignore this handful of politicians as they continue to fan the “racial flames and religious hatred” both in and outside parliament to gain political mileage for their political career.
It is evident, in parliament the speaker and the deputies have often turned a blind eye to avoid making a decision because of their livelihood.
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 30 – The competition is heating up as the top seeds in the mixed doubles were all up to their expectations to advance to the quarterfinals of the Top Glove Purple League Pro Am Badminton Championship 2020.
Lim Tze Jian-Gan Jing Err and Wong Tien Chi-Lim Chiew Sien were among the top eight for the quarterfinals of the tourney after overcoming their respective opponents in the opening matched which took place in Putrajaya today.
Even though they were not selected as one of the tournament favourites, Lim Chi Wing-Ho Yen Mei showed plenty of consistency to progress past the first round following their 3-0 win (11-7, 11-6, 11-7) over Choo Kai Qing-Isabel Liau Bei.
However Chi Wing said they were still adjusting to each other.
“The situation is very much different than what we imagined as the atmosphere is very quiet,” said Chi Wing adding that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on everyone.
“It has been very difficult because there were no competition and the sponsorships have also been reduced because of it.”
He said, it was because lacking of competition that has resulted in him being unable to fly to Thailand to participate in the competition organised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) due to his relatively low-ranking position.
However, his participation in the Top Glove Purple League Pro Am 2020 has given him the opportunity to bounce back and improve his position.
Chi Wing and Yen Mei will have a tough task in the next round where they will face the tournament second seeds, Wong Tien Chi-Lim Chiew Sien who flew by their opening match to beat Tan Yi Han-Ng Qi Xuan in straight games 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.
Meanwhile, top seed Lim Tze Jian-Gan Jing Err were forced to work hard in four sets before confirming a 3-1 victory (11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-10).
It was the smashing prowess of Tze Jian-Jing Err that ensured victory to their favour.
“We are more focused now compared to the training sessions where we have been preparing for two more weeks before going into action,” said Tze Jian who was the champion in the Purple League Junior 2018.
“This Top Glove Purple League Pro Am is a good competition and I am determined to fight all the way to bring home the title.”
Tze Jian-Jing Err will face Boon Xin Yuan-Teoh Lexuan in the quarterfinals following their 3-1 win (11-9, 11-5, 10-11, 11-8) over Leong Jun Kai-Vanessa Chai Voon Ching.
JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 29 – There will be a touch of Olympics when several countries competing in the cycling events in next year’s Tokyo Olympics, stopover in Johor Bahru and make the newly built Johor Velodrome as their training base.
The Tokyo Olympics earlier scheduled to be held this year had to be postponed due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic which played havoc with major sporting events in the world.
Johor Sports Council director, Gaddaffie Aziz revealed on Tuesday during a visit to the Johor Velodrome by former deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam.
Tun Musa also visited the BMX Track. Both utilities are located in booming Iskandar Puteri.
The Johor Velodrome is located in an area spanning 2.54 hectares and features a 250-meter track built according to the International Cycling Union (UCI) standards with a capacity of 700 people.
”So far Poland and Mexico have made verbal requests for their national cycling teams to use the world-class facility as their training base as part of their preparations for the Tokyo Olympics,” said Gaddaffie.
The Johor Velodrome is described as a new landmark for sports in this Southern State which is fast gaining a reputation as a major sporting hub in this part of the world.
Tun Musa, who hails from Johor Bahru and is a former student of the famed English College (now known as Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar), is also the former chairman of plantation giant Sime Darby.
He is a keen follower of sporting activities, both local and international. During his tenure with Sime Darby national cyclists Azizulhasni Awang – (dubbed the Pocket Rocket Man) and ace woman cyclist Fatehah Mustapa – were given scholarships.
Meanwhile, Sukma Johor 2020 may have been postponed but the facilities for the biennial games will be fully utilized.
Plans are afoot to host various events involving state teams before the games are held in March 2022.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 – In Malaysia nothing is impossible and it has been proven time and again that you need to be a VVIP or just a VIP to make impossible things possible.
It does not stop at that. How the authorities treat you is another matter as there are two sets of laws in the country – one for the VIPs or the VVIPs and one for the layman. That sets the tone for judgment.
The VIPs or VVIPs call the shots and more often than not they are given leeway. Currently, the “meat cartel” scandal is a hot topic – more so when it is a religious matter and there seems to be a huge effort to cover-up the issue that involves top politicians.
And we have read countless denials and some of the agencies are just washing their hands from the sickening disease of corruption.
We all know that we have VIPs and VVIPs are corrupted to the core and yet we the rakyat are helpless as the laws favor them.
Haram becomes Halal when it involves the bigwigs and the authorities in Jakim have been playing “low key” so as not to tarnish any further the already tarnished image of the government.
Putting that aside don’t think there is no corruption in sports. It is probably worse but not highlighted. Mismanagement of funds led to non-payment of salaries for players and team officials.
Covid-19 is the most abused word in daily life these days. The deadly pandemic has been used for excuses that the sponsors have not fulfilled what was promised and hence the delay in salaries.
If sponsors have run foul what about teams that have signed up foreign coaches and players where the salary is in US dollars? Not to be forgotten those FA officials who have been making big bucks from such deals.
Interestingly, a player still owed four months’ salary was told by a senior FA official that it can be settled “if I (the official) get 10 percent” of the total)” owed by the team. Of course, the said player turned him down as it is his hard-earned money.
PETALING JAYA, Dec 29 – The world is in turmoil on all fronts – thanks to the deadly pandemic called Covid-19 and Sabah Tennis is no exception leaving the sport in shattered dreams.
Sabah Tennis Association president, Johnson Koh aptly described it as a “tragedy” that is never experienced by anyone before when normal life screeched to a halt – after the government took preventive measures and imposed nationwide movement control order (MCO).
KK players training in KK with coach Shamsuddin Mustamin.
When international borders and domestic movements were also restricted and the world was in chaos. The lockdowns brought pain. In the sports arena, there were no high-fives, hugs, handshakes, and no chest bumps and celebrations, and tennis like any other sport was not spared.
It did not stop at that. There were no close group photos, no big gatherings, and no annual general meetings (AGMs).
Johnson, however, applauds the tennis fraternity. To him, tennis players ”don’t give up easily” and went about their controlled training, practice, and court drills” under the strict new standard operating procedures (SOP).
Sukma training was derailed and later postponed. This year’s Sukma Johor 2020 was postponed and rescheduled for March 2021. However, the biennial games have now been postponed yet again and will be held in 2022.
According to Johnson, shelving the much-awaited Inter-District championships and the Invitational team tennis for 2020 was a ”pain” for Sabah Tennis. The Junior League and all other official tournaments in Sabah also suffered.
Johnson (right) courtesy call on KK Mayor Datuk Nordin Siman, ( the youngest Permanent Secretary of the sports ministry 36 years ago) to bid him farewell. He retires on 31 December 2020
It is a “thumbs-up” from Johnson for the Sukma tennis players who kept on training on their own when they were allowed to train in their respective districts.
“The players kept in touch with their coaches and officials through apps group,” said Johnson, a businessman in Sandakan.
Johnson hopes 2021 will be better and has vowed to “go full steam” when the situation allows.
“Everyone is looking and longing for a normal start for 2021,” he added and keeping his fingers crossed that 2021 be a happy and better new year for tennis.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 – Relegated Police have landed vastly experienced Mat Zan Mat Aris for the new Malaysian Football League season and have offered the former international a one plus one contract.
The 62-year-old Rembau-born thus makes a return to the big league after this year’s M3 was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He was to coach Melawati FC.
Mat Zan will virtually start from scratch after Police were relegated to the second-tier Premier League and ended their Super League campaign without a win to show and with a minus one point.
Police were deducted three points by the FA of Malaysia for salary irregularities this year.
For the record, this year’s Super League and Premier League were decided on one round instead of the normal two rounds.
Johor Darul Takzim won the Super League title for the seventh consecutive year.
“Yes, I have agreed to a one plus one contract. This is a challenge for me as I don’t know the players available in the team. It is left to be seen who will turn up when the selection is down in the three-days,” said Mat Zan when contacted in Melaka on Saturday.
Mat Zan has strong credentials. During his playing career, Mat Zan has three Malaysia Cup winners medals and this was with Kuala Lumpur in 1987, 1988, and 1989.
He also has a gold medal from the 1989 Sea Games football competition.
His coaching career saw him take Kuala Lumpur to the FA Cup title in 1999 and the Charity Shield in 2000.
Mat Zan created history when he coached Terengganu to their first-ever Malaysia Cup title and also won the Charity Shield in 2001.
Melaka reaped dividends under Mat Zan when he guided the team to the FAM League title in 2015 and a year later Melaka won the Premier League title.
However, due to politics in the management, Mat Zan was unceremoniously dumped from the team.
”It is good to be back. I will not shirk my responsibilities and hope for commitment and discipline from the players. There is no short cut to success,” said Mat Zan.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 25 – Do not look down on the veterans in the Malaysian Football League (MFL) as former international, Safee Salee joined the City Boys for the new football season scheduled to begin with the Charity Shield match between Johor Darul Takzim and Kedah.
The curtain raiser will be played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on February 26 which will also count towards the league standings.
On Thursday (Dec 24) Kuala Lumpur FC signed up two big names in Malaysian football – former international Safee Sali and current international Hadin Azman.
Safee, who was also linked to Sabah after his contract with Petaling Jaya City FC ended this year, brings with him a wealth of experience and is making a return to Kuala Lumpur after a lapse of 15 years.
The Kajang-born Safee has vowed to repay KL’s confidence in him, reminding himself that age is only a factor and he is ready to throw in his challenge for a place in the first team.
To him, the physical demands of the game can be neutralized with his vast experience at levels.
Safee, who will be 37 next year, became the first Malaysian to play in the Indonesian Super League and this was in 2011 when he joined Pelita Jaya before returning to Malaysia to join JDT – the current Malaysian football kingpins and winners of the Super League title for seven consecutive years since 2014.
For now, the attacking midfielder is certainly embarking on another new journey after his stint with PJ City, and Safee has promised to pull no punches in his bid to win a place in the first team with his new outfit.
Look out for KLFC who also have oldies in former national skipper, Melaka-born Shukor Adan who is 41, and Ipoh-born Indra Putra Mahayuddin, who is 39. The duo is deemed vital cogs in the KLFC side.
KLFC also signed up Hadin Azman and the national midfielder is returning to his roots to land more bite to the team.
Hadin is also not short on experience, having donned JDT, Kedah, and Felda United colors.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 – Seven-time Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) is set to rule this year’s National Football Awards, which will be held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic on Dec 30.
The Southern Tigers are top-heavy with nominations and without a doubt, it is expected to be a JDT show with long-serving Mexican coach, Benjamin Mora set to take the Best Coach Award.
However, one name stands out like a sore thumb in the nominations for the Best Coach category. Can someone throw light on Selangor’s Michael Feichenbeiner’s nomination?
The German, who is the Selangor FA technical director was the coach of the Selangor feeder squad before he was named as the caretaker coach after the management of the Red Giants sacked B. Satianathan after a 6-1 defeat to JDT in a league match in Johor Bahru on Sept 19.
A day later Selangor 2 coached by Feichenbeiner, suffered a similar margin defeat at the hands of JDT II in a Premier League at home.
After taking the hot seat with the Red Giants, the German was at the helm for three Super League matches. Selangor could manage a 3-3 draw against UiTM FC followed by wins over Felda United and Police winning 6-1 and 7-0 respectively against the bottom two teams.
It is a surprise to see the German’s name in the list of nominations. While Selangor finished fifth in the Super League, Selangor 2 managed only a seventh place in the 12-team league. Does this make him a nominee for the awards? There is certainly a big question mark on this.
The other coaches in the running Kedah’s Aidil Sharin Sahak, Akira Higashiyama (Kuching FA), Frank Bernhardt (UiTM FC), Manzoor Azwira (Penang), Mehmet Durakovic (Perak), Nafuzi Zain (Terengganu FC), Nidzam Adza (Kuala Lumpur), and Yusri Che Lah (Kelantan).
JDT also has nominees for Best Goalkeeper (Farizal Marlias, Best Defender (Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak, Corbin Ong, Matthew Davies) while for the Best Midfielder they have Afiq Fazail, Gonzalo Cabrera, Leandro Valazquez, and Safawi Rasid.
In line for the Best Striker Award from JDT are Diogo Luis Santo and Ramadhan Saifullah Usman.
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 Dis (Rabu) – Empat mata yang diraih pada aksi Pusingan 7 Kejuaraan Cub Prix Malaysia 2020 di Litar Sepang Utara hari ini sudah cukup untuk memberi kepuasan kepada pendatang baharu kategori Pro Am, Nur Atikah Azwar.
Pelumba yang lebih dikenali dengan nama Rider Helmet Pink atau Ika itu, telah membuktikan bahawa kekurangan pengalaman beraksi dalam sukan dua roda ternyata bukan halangan untuknya mencipta sesuatu yang luar biasa di gelanggang perlumbaan.
Dia bersaing dengan beberapa pelumba ‘senior’ dalam cub prix bagi kategori ini, malah ada dalam kalangan pesaingnya pernah beraksi dalam kelas yang lebih tinggi sebelum ini, namun Ika tetap mampu untuk memberi tentangan.
Dia memang tidak mengintai penyudah podium kerana menyedari kebolehannya masih belum mencapai tahap untuk bergelar juara, tetapi jiwanya memiliki semangat sang juara.
Kemunculannya dalam Cub Prix tahun ini hanyalah untuk menimba pengalaman berlumba selain membuka ruang untuk menarik lebih ramai pelumba wanita tampil ke hadapan pada masa akan datang, namun dalam masa yang agak singkat banyak ilmu sudah dipelajarinya, sekali gus mampu mengharungi perlumbaan dengan rentak yang membanggakan – bangga kerana dalam setiap perlumbaan dia tetap mampu untuk meraih mata kejuaraan.
Lebih menarik, keadaan fizikalnya masih belum pulih sepenuhnya selepas mengalami kemalangan ketika beraksi pada Pusingan 3, juga di litar yang sama tiga bulan lalu, namun tetap bersemangat untuk kembali memperagakan kemampuannya dalam empat pusingan terakhir kejuaraan Cub Prix musim ini.
Hari ini, Ika sekali lagi mengotakan janjinya untuk terus meraih mata pada aksi Pusingan 7.
Dia menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ke-12 dengan catatan masa 10:39.072 saat (s), sekali gus menghadiahkannya 4 mata kejuaraan.
Selepas mengharungi 7 Pusingan, Ika berjaya mengubah kedudukannya dalam carta keseluruhan kategori Pro Am apabila melonjak dua anak tangga, daripada kedudukan ke-20 sebelum ini, ke kedudukan ke-18 dengan mengumpul 15 mata.
Ia dianggap suatu kejayaan buat seorang pelumba yang tidak pernah beraksi dalam mana-mana perlumbaan kompetitif seperti Cub Prix.
Tingkat kemajuannya juga nampak terserlah – bermula dengan meraih satu mata pada Pusingan 1 diikuti dua mata pada Pusingan 2 dan masing-masing tiga dan lima mata pada Pusingan 5 dan 6 minggu lalu.
Dia gagal meraih sebarang mata pada Pusingan 3 selepas terlibat dalam kemalangan selain terlepas aksi Pusingan 4 di Kuala Terengganu kerana masih menjalani proses pemulihan terhadap kecederaannya.
Peningkatannya juga turut didorong oleh krew-krew dalam pasukannya terutama sokongan daripada pihak Tune Boss dan juga syarikat pembekal rantai motosikal DID yang semuanya memiliki sikap positif dan profesional terhadap penyertaannya di Cub Prix.
Barisan krew Tune Boss yang turut memberi dorongan terhadap penampilan Ika di Cub Prix. Gambar ini adalah posting Ika di akaun Tik Tok milik Rider Helmet Pink.
Alangkah baiknya andai DID mahupun Tune Boss tampil dengan peranan yang lebih besar lagi selepas ini untuk kategori Pro Am agar perlumbaan kelas ‘bawahan’ ini menjadi semakin menarik dan mencabar, sekali gus melonjakkan semangat para pelumba lain di luar sana untuk turut serta.
Menang tidak dinafikan para pelumba dalam kelas ini juga berdepan banyak kesukaran, malah ada dalam kalangan mereka sanggup berkorban semata-mata untuk merealisasikan mimpi mengukir nama sebagai pelumba.
Malah, ada juga ahli keluarga para pelumba kelas Pro Am ini sanggup melakukan apa sahaja bagi memberi semangat kepada anak-anak mereka untuk meneruskan cita-cita menjadi pelumba.
Pengorbanan mereka adalah untuk memastikan anak-anak mereka berlumba di gelanggang yang selamat, yang diktiraf dan juga ‘halal’ berbanding merempit secara ‘haram’ di jalanan.
Sebaik berakhirnya aksi Pusingan 7 hari ini, kedudukan keseluruhan bagi kelas Pro Am masih diungguli Md Asyraf Daniel Md Zamri dari Selangor dengan mengumpul 119 mata kejuaraan.
Hari ini, Asyraf menamatkan perlumbaan akhir di tempat keempat bagi membolehkannya memungut 13 mata kejuaraan, namun ia tidak menggugat kedudukannya selaku pendahulu keseluruhan.
Kedudukannya kini diikuti rapat oleh Md Usammah Md Narzam yang berada di posisi kedua keseluruhan dengan 108 mata.
Usammah menamatkan saingan hari ini di tempat ketiga, sekali gus meraih 16 mata kejuaraan.
Md Usammah
Tempat ketiga keseluruhan pula menjadi milik pelumba asal Johor, Md Syafiq Asyraf Md Zam Zam yang sudah mengumpul 66 mata.
Perlumbaan akhir hari ini dimenangi Md Arash Firdaus Suhaini yang ketika ini menghuni kedudukan kelima keseluruhan dengan 63 mata.
Seorang lagi pelumba wanita dalam kelas Pro Am, Nuraina Halisya Hamirudin (gambar kiri) pula menghuni kedudukan ke-19 dengan memungut 13 mata.
Esok (Khamis) mereka akan kembali ke gelanggang untuk mengharungi Pusingan 8 yang juga merupakan aksi penutup tirai kejuaraan Cub Prix bagi musim 2020.
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Mei – Miss Borneo Antarabangsa 2026 bukan sekadar acara pertandingan kecantikan, sebaliknya hadir dengan aspirasi besar untuk mengangkat warisan budaya dan...
Pelumba yang lebih dikenali dengan nama Rider Helmet Pink atau Ika itu, telah membuktikan bahawa kekurangan pengalaman beraksi dalam sukan dua roda ternyata bukan halangan untuknya mencipta sesuatu yang luar biasa di gelanggang perlumbaan.
Seorang lagi pelumba wanita dalam kelas Pro Am, Nuraina Halisya Hamirudin (gambar kiri) pula menghuni kedudukan ke-19 dengan memungut 13 mata.
