Foul!

The controversial and volatile fan group, Ultras Malaya, have vowed to resort to drastic measures including disrupting football matches if Malaysian teams are provoked. Ultras Malaya founder, who wished to be known as Freddy, declared: “We have no qualms in doing whatever it takes to support Malaysia.” The leader of the firebrand group told Mailsport the reason they let off flares and smoke bombs that led to the abandonment of the S-League tie between Harimau Muda B and Young Lions at Pasir Gudang Stadium on Sunday was because they were provoked. Freddy said he was disappointed the match was abandoned but defended the act of the fans in Johor nevertheless. This was published in Mailsport on Wednesday . The FA of Malaysia, however, were certainly not impressed with the threat. FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah had told the fans to "behave" and that "our country's name and image is at stake", as published in The Malay Mail today (pic) . F...

The 44th Cobra 10s would see the return of 11-time winners 1st New Zealand Brigade after a 25-year absence. Organising committee chairman Tan Sri Krishnan Tan believes the return of the Kiwis, who previously participated in the tournament as they were based in Singapore, would boost the strong field at PJ Stadium on Nov 9–10. Cobra, who finished runners up to Daveta Rugby last year, are expected to be among the front runners but Krishnan was quick to add it was still anyone's game. "The tournament has received tremendous support with a strong line-up of teams from seven nations. Malaysia will be represented by six local clubs. We are excited with the return of 1st New Zealand Brigade and first timers Cambodia," he said. "We hope Cobra win the tournament this time but it is all about making the most of the 20 minutes on the pitch." Read more here. HD says: Another fun filled rugby tournament.

In what is best described as a major oversight, the nation’s security industry is left to the devices of “illegals”. Fresh from the shooting incident where an Indonesian security guard shot AmBank officer Norazita Abu Talib at the branch in Jalan USJ Sentral 2, Subang Jaya, before running away with RM450,000 from the vault, findings by The Malay Mail revealed: ● Security guards in residential areas, condominiums, high-rise buildings, financial institutions and factories in and around the country are mostly Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indians, Burmese and Indonesians. For the record, only Malaysians, Nepali ex-servicemen and Gurkhas are allowed to work as security guards in the country. ● Rogue security companies will "franchise" their services to a third party. ● An acute shortage of armed guards forces companies to arm their men despite not obtaining the required licences. ● Those securing security services do not conduct background checks on the company. ● Security ...

Haresh Says, as published in The Malay Mail today. ONE tends to wonder who actually runs Malaysian sports.   Political and governmental interference is a big no-no as far as international sports bodies are concerned. However, where do we draw the line?   It is no secret government money is used to fund athletes and sports in most countries including Malaysia. Developed countries like China, England and Australia spend millions prepping their sportsmen for the Olympics in pursuit of gold medals, honour and to a certain extent bragging rights.   But does that give the government — or certain government officials — the right to lord over the national sports associations (NSAs)?   The Sports Ministry, mainly its funding arm the National Sports Council (NSC) seem to have a lot to say when it comes to sports governance and more recently, the selection of athletes for international games.   Last week NSC, urged the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF)...

Have you ever wondered about the nationality of the security guard at your condominium? Did you know that only Nepalese ex-servicemen and Gurkhas are permitted to be security guards in Malaysia? Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Afghanis are strictly off the list. Surprised? It was reported last year that more than 150,000 locals and 50,000 Nepalese Gurkhas were legitimately employed as guards in the country. With demands for security guards increasing and the availability of cheap labour, unscrupulous firms are taking advantage of the situation, often hoodwinking their customers to believe they are being supplied legitimate security personnel. Even the Security Services Association of Malaysia had, since 2006, acknowledged it was possible for guards to be hired without referring to any authority and it was difficult to detect them. The Malay Mail had in 1990, 1992 and again in 2006 reported how easy it was for anyone to be a security guard as our reporters were able to secure jobs...

The government is allocating RM239 million to pursue excellence in sports, including upgrading of sport complexes and courts, said Prime Minister Najib Razak. He said the allocation would include establishing pilot talent identification programmes in primary schools and the implementation of the Future Professional Coach programme to hone the skills of potential coaches for selected sports. Najib also said the government would allocate RM150 million to the Sports Trust Fund for the development of elite sports, medical treatment and research. Read more here . Meanwhile, Najib also announced the goods and services tax (GST) of 6 per cent will be implemented starting April 1,  2015. Malaysia will not join more than 150 nations across the globe including Canada , New Zealand and Australia through the implementation of GST. Do read more about the GST here . Pic by The Mole . HD says: Your thoughts on the budget?

lag·gard ˈlagərd / noun plural noun: laggards   1 . a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others. That was the word published on the backpage of The Malay Mail today. It is regarding chef de mission Tun Ahmad Sarji's findings at the 2012 Olympics in Beijing. Meanwhile, The Malay Mail sports editor Tony Mariadass had this to say: The National Sports Council (NSC), who are grooming athletes through their Pelapis (back-up) programme, have requested Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) to include nine of their interns under category B. But this is a peculiar situation because MAF, as the governing body of athletics, should overseeing development as they know the performance of the athletes well.   NSC should engage MAF fully in their programme or have the body run the programme for them because, after all, they are the experts.   In fact, several sports associations have given up development because NSC have taken over the role. This ...

Jalaluddin Jaafar is known for being a one-club player but the 38-year-old veteran's CV remains incomplete as missing is a Malaysia Cup medal. Pekan-born Jalaluddin, who signed with Pahang in 1997 after guiding their state Malaysia Games team to the football gold medal in the 1996 edition on home soil, is desperate to win the trophy which has eluded him throughout his career. The closest he has come to lifting the trophy was in 1997 when Pahang, then coached by Dane Jorgen E. Larson, were beaten 1-0 by Selangor. Now, after 16 years, Jalaluddin, who has played over 400 games for Pahang, is daring to dream big again after helping his team secure a two-goal cushion from the semi-final first leg last week against Sarawak. They play the second leg at the State Stadium in Kuching on Saturday. Read the full report by NST's T.N. Alagesh her e. HD says : Will Sarawak be able to surprise Pahang?

MEDIA RELEASE 22, OCTOBER, 2013 KABADDI ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA EXTRA ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING STATES WANT A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP Seven State Kabaddi associations want a change in the leadership of the Kabaddi Association of Malaysia (KAM) and want the transformation to take place through an Extra Ordinary General Meeting this Thursday. The State Kabaddi Associations of Perak, Johor, Selangor, Terengganu, Penang, Negri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur have joined forces in demanding the change. A request to call for the EGM was made almost a month ago, but the current KAM executive committee chose to ignore the request. Perak Kabaddi Association president Datuk Dr G Krishnan, who is also the current KAM vice president, said that there has been no official reply to the request made by the secretary or any of the key principal office bearers of the KAM. “The request was made as per the KAM Constitution. Since the secretary failed to do his duties...

There have been instances where high ranking government servants and ‘advisors’ dictate terms beyond their jurisdiction. And there are little Napoleons who have the audacity of spending tax-payers money to file frivolous legal suits against third parties.   To them, flying business class and spending nights in luxurious hotels are “perks of being in the government”. Such antics reflect badly on the minister and the administration. The press will take the ministers to task but ministers hardly tick off their subordinates for fear of rocking the boat. Even UK newspaper The Guardian , had last Sunday, reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak ( pic ) will not risk downsizing the bloated civil service when he presents the 2014 Budget on Friday. Trust me, sir, you don’t need some of them for they have only tarnished your reputation. Read more in The Malay Mail today. HD says: Tired of dealing with mere government SERVANTS trying to act all high and mighty at the expen...

The stadium in Paroi could use a good coat of paint, to cover up the vulgarities and ‘08’ marked on the wall. Only athletes are allowed to stamp their marks at the stadium — by breaking records. The track needs to be replaced too. Also, What have national sports associations (NSAs) done to secure funds? For the record, Berjaya Sports Toto “contributed” RM62.4 million to the ministry's funding arm the National Sports Council (NSC) as stated in its 2013 annual report — a huge increase from the RM57.9 million it handed out to the council in 2012. It would be interesting to know what the money was spent on — a question the NSAs should ask NSC. Should we demand more money from the government? We should instead ensure sports in this country stand on their own feet with minimal government funding and interference. If need may be, let’s start allocating money on maintaining our facilities. Read more in Haresh Says today. HD says : Itching for another road tr...

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are investigating national striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and the FA of Malaysia (FAM) for breach of Fifa regulations. In an email response to Mailsport over two incidents that occurred at the Malaysia-Bahrain Asian Cup qualifiers Group D match at Shah Alam Stadium last Tuesday, AFC confirmed investigations were underway. Mailsport had highlighted the issue last Thursday. The match ended 1-1 with Norshahrul’s 70th minute goal celebrations courting controversy. Norshahrul, who stars for Super League outfit Johor Darul Takzim, lifted his shirt to reveal a religious message breaching Fifa Laws of the Games Law 4 (Players Equipment). The regulation prohibits the use of “political, religious or commercial messages” during matches. The ruling extends to a player’s undershirt. After the final whistle, smoke bombs were lit by fans. Read the full report here . Pic taken from The Star . HD says : Remembers when FAM were fined during the Malaysia-Singapo...

In the high-pressure world of professional sport, team-mates are bound to bond with one another. It wouldn't surprise me if this summer we saw some awesome Sporno photos come out of the World Cup . All those hours spent together in the showers and receiving rubdowns, is it any wonder that these masculine hunks tend to occasionally get a little too close? As with everything on the internet, such moments have a name: Sporno . Click here to see 20 pictures in which sport and 'porn' collide. HD says : Simply hilarious...

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has pledged to follow up on the collapsed multi-million ringgit tuna port project in Batu Maung, Penang. PAC deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the committee had investigated the matter and made several recommendations to the government at the last parliamentary session. However, nothing has come out of it since. Dr Tan was responding to a series of articles in The Malay Mail since Oct 1 over the failed tuna port project between the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and the joint venture company Malaysian International Tuna Port Sdn Bhd (MITP). If the Subang company were to be appointed, it looks as though the company would build houses for tuna," said Dr Tan sarcastically. HD says: Condos for tuna? Lol!

Trust should never be compromised — be it in the handling of tickets or the distribution of sponsor money. Breach of trust — no matter how small — will turn people off. Trust comes from all ends — from people who need to place their trust in Malaysian football to the guardians who must realise trust is a valuable commodity. And trust me when I say that the Malaysian football industry is alive and kicking. Read more in Haresh Says . HD says: I trust some may have differing views about this commentary.

Sadly, consumerism in this country is taken very lightly. Only a handful of us are willing to speak up against retailers who see no harm in selling substandard foodstuff. The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry can aid by conducting regular inspections and ensure retailers — from sundry shops to hypermarkets — sell quality items. But it is us, as consumers, who have the ultimate say. We need to take charge of what we put in our stomach and in our households. The quality of food sold should not be taken for granted. Nevertheless, many tend to treat such matters lightly. After all, it is not as sensational as cows and condominiums or a fishy multi-million ringgit tuna project that failed. It is the unscrupulous sellers who will have the last laugh for we are the suckers who will continue to fork out money for low quality food. Read more in Haresh Says today. HD says : Stand up against those who sell substandard food items.

Longtime readers of The Malay Mail will remember this paper’s special connection to RTM’s World Cup telecasts. On June 14, 1982, an insurance agent named PETER TEO phoned Hotline with a suggestion that RTM allow the public to contribute RM1 each to pay for more ‘live’ World Cup telecasts. Like millions of other Malaysians, TEO had just watched RTM’s ‘live’ telecast of the World Cup 1982 opening match in the wee hours of Sunday, June 13, in which defending champion Argentina was upset 0-1 by Belgium. RTM began ‘live’ telecasts of the World Cup from 1974, and continued this in 1978 and 1982, but up to that time soccer fans here could only expect ‘live’ telecasts of the opening match, the two semi-finals, and the finals, and would have to settle for radio and TV news announcements of the results of almost all the other matches. TEO’s inspired suggestion was promptly published in Hotline on June 15 and it triggered a lightning-quick chain of events such that by June 19, ...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha kepada anda semua.

Following frman 's tweets on his Twitter account on Friday, I spoke to several individuals about the missing tickets involving Johor Darul Takzim matches. The article appeared on the backpage of The Malay Mail today. More than 300 M-League tickets involving Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) were reported “missing”,  raising questions about the security of courier services in the country and the lengths individuals will take to make a quick buck from the football fever. Mailsport learnt 308 tickets for six matches involving the Southern Tigers in both the Super League and Malaysia Cup went missing. The star-studded Johor side have been enjoying massive attendances at their home matches throughout the season. The tickets were couriered from Kuala Lumpur to Larkin via Pos Laju. Read more here . HD says: Some folks will go to great lengths to get M-League tickets.

THE  iconic image of Dataran Merdeka has been marred as no proper monitoring and maintenance work has been carried out by the authorities. On Tuesday,  The Hotline  Roving Team spotted several items from the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2013 — mainly rolls of carpets, race route signages and banners — scattered in the area. The road race, which was held on Sept 29, attracted more than 30,000 runners. Checks revealed that the field was clearly damaged — a far cry from its heyday of hosting sporting events in the 40s and 50s. Read more in the Hotline section of The Malay Mail today. HD says: What a shame...

Having made the World Cup after a 12-year hiatus, Malaysia have set a lowly target of finishing in the top 12 in the tournament to be held in The Hague, Holland from May 31 to June 15 next year. The target was announced by Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah after a meeting between principle office-bearers of the MHC and coaches of the various national teams on Monday. The target does not make sense despite the fact that Malaysia will be the lowest ranked team at the World Cup. Read more here . HD says : One would expect more from a team who spend almost every day of their lives playing the game.

Media Statement 9 October 2013 - Wednesday We refer to today’s media report in regards to my comment on the handling of Malaysia’s Moto3 rider Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairuddin ( pic ) injury by National Sports Institute (NSI), which I made after the unveiling of the 2013 Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix trophies at Royal Selangor yesterday. First and foremost, I would like to point that at no instance did I use or intended to use words amounting to criticism or slamming to NSI on the subject. I would like to clarify that it was the team and our decision to bring Zulfahmi back to Malaysia for rehabilitation process. As the NSI do not have vast experience in treating motorsport injuries, we felt it would have been better if Zulfahmi had remained in Spain after the surgery for intensive rehabilitation procedures. This is a trial and error situation with Zulfahmi and it is our mistake and not NSI. However, we are pleased that NSI is proactive in creating a ...

It was an interesting conversation with Kelantan FA president Annuar Musa, who is also the Ketereh MP. Annuar Musa spoke about the privatisation of the M-League - where a workshop will be held by the FA of Malaysia tomorrow (Oct 10) at UiTM in Shah Alam. My question, we spoke about privatising the league in 2005 through the establishment of MSL Sdn Bhd. Why are we speaking about it all over again? Read Dare to change, FAM? in Haresh Says today. Also, Annuar Musa was irked when several Facebook commentators had paid credit to the Pas spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat after fans were seen praying at the stands and sidelines of the stadium in Kota Baru. He says the stadium is small, forcing fans to pray at those locations - but more importantly, this is one of the very many reasons how Umno has allowed Pas to take advantage of the situation. Umno needs to act like an opposition in Kelantan, he says. And where is the 40,000 capacity stadium Nik Aziz promised in 2011, he asked?...

Umno’s Ketereh division leader Tan Sri Annuar Musa has described the new rules ahead of the party polls as similar to that of a “beauty pageant”. “You take the candidates on a stage, introduce them to the delegates and they wave. This is not how you select a leader. “The Umno elections are not a beauty pageant,” Annuar said. He said candidates should be judged based on the way they debate, articulate ideas, express their thoughts on current issues and should be given the opportunity to interact with the voting delegates. “We must take the spirit of the liberating power of the grassroots. Delegates should be allowed to meet and know their candidates.” The Mara chairman said this when met at his house in Bukit Damansara. He was discharged from hospital last Saturday after being admitted for dengue fever for more than a week.  Read more in The Malay Mail today. HD says : Annuar Musa revealed he has only been admitted in a hospital twice - once for a motorcycle crash during hi...

Johor Darul Takzim's Leonel Nunez (pic) could face disciplinary action following allegations and pictures on social media of him showing the middle finger to fans. The Argentine, who turns 29 on Sunday, is alleged to have shown the finger at home fans while warming up during the Malaysia Cup quarterfinal second leg tie against Kelantan in Kota Baru on Saturday. JDT were knocked out of the competition after being whipped 6-1. The Red Warriors advanced 8-5 on aggregate. The FA of Malaysia (FAM), however, have not received any report pertaining to the matter. Read more on the backpage of The Malay Mail today. Meanwhile, Haresh Says today is about the failed tuna port project in Batu Maung, Penang - a fishy tuna project that stinks. Read more here. HD says: You know something is fishy when a director-general treats something lightly only to change his tone when evidence is produced. 

KEMENANGAN ke atas Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) tentunya cukup bermakna buat pasukan The Red Warriors (TRW) dan seluruh rakyat Kelantan. Kemenangan bergaya dengan berpesta enam gol itu juga merupakan nombor yang cukup signifikan dalam hidup Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Kelantan (Kafa), Tan Sri Annuar Musa. Annuar menerusi laman sosial Facebook berkongsi "ketentuan" angka enam dalam hidupnya. "Kebetulan agaknya...saya anak ke enam...nombor Digi saya berakhir dengan 666666...nombor Maxis saya berakhir dengan 6666...nombor telefon pejabat Pengerusi Mara berakhir dengan 666. "Saya masuk hospital bilik CCU nombor enam, saya calon Majlis Tertinggi nombor enam, dan malam ini (semalam) TRW mara ke separuh akhir dengan gol jaringan enam gol. Demikian ketentuan ILLAHI," katanya. Baca selanjutnya di sini . Sarawak akan menentang Pahang manakala Kelantan akan berhadapan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia dalam separuh akhir Piala Malaysia. HD kata: Apakah pa...

Efforts are being taken to revive the collapsed multi-million ringgit international tuna port in Batu Maung, Penang. The Malay Mail was informed that a leading property developer, based in Subang Jaya, has been in talks with the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries (MoA) and the initial concessionaire holders, Malaysian International Tuna Port Sdn Bhd (MITP). The extent of the company's involvement in the project however, remains unclear. LKIM director-general Datuk Mohat Kazim Hamzah confirmed the matter, but remained tight-lipped over the details, saying it was still a "secret". "It is a government matter. LKIM is eager to continue the tuna port project with a new company," said Mohat. Read more in The Malay Mail today. HD says: So what's the big "secret"?

Also in contention was the RM2.94 million spent by the ministry in the promotion and publicity of National Youth Day 2012. The report notes that RM1,111,927 was spent just on promotion and publicity while another RM1.6 million was spent on paying the K-Pop artistes UKiss, and Teen-Top and Dal Shabet. The ministry also spent RM42,500 for 17 units of "robot-themed boards", RM42,466 for the accommodation of journalists and a hi-tea reception at the Marriot Hotel in Putrajaya, and another RM107,500 for bloggers to promote the event. It has been noted as "high expenditure" by the auditor-general. Read more here and here . Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin assured action will be taken against those who waste tax payer's money. HD says: I still remember the previous audits on an agency within the ministry...

Who said what? Taken out of context or speaking without proper evidence? This is the subject raised in Haresh Says today citing the recent comment made by the FA of Malaysia against Sarawak which received flak from the fans. Read more here .   Meanwhile, have Johor FA shot themselves in the foot? It looks like it after the FA had publicly said they have no problems with fans lighting up flares after the match. Now this is a big no-no under Article 52(c) of Fifa's Stadium Safety and Security Regulations. Read more in today's Mailsport . HD says: Oh boy...

UPDATE 5.42pm: MITP director wants answers, as published in The Malay Mail today . --- Why on earth did the fisheries authority signed an agreement over something they never owned in the first place? Wouldn't it logical to obtain the required clearance before inking the deal to ensure Batu Maung in Penang transforms into an international tuna port? The Malaysian International Tuna Port Sdn Bhd (MITP) saga continues - this time with documents, agreements and correspondences between Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM) and MITP revealing the deal started on the wrong note since day one. The concession agreement between LKIM (on behalf of the government as per the letter by the Economic Planning Unit) and MITP was signed on 2004, but letters showed efforts to obtain the land title was only done from 2007. And when the situation got messy, insiders claim a senior government official had then said: "terlepas pandang". Read more in The Malay Mail today. HD s...