Foul!

As published in Malay Mail today. By Vijhay Vick vijhayvick@mmail.com.my SUBANG JAYA — The Sultan of Selangor has voiced his displeasure over the state’s 2016 Malaysia Games (Sukma) contingent using Kita Lawan as its slogan. In a strongly worded speech during the Selangor Sports Awards last night, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said: “The slogan Kita Lawan has been used by a particular political party. I do not want the general public to misconstrue or presume that the Selangor contingent is trying to politicise sports. It is best for the Selangor contingent to use a different slogan that is more spirited and will not invite controversy.” The Selangor Sports Council’s Kita Lawan battle cry was revealed during a briefing with sports associations on March 27. Malay Mail broke the news on March 29 on its frontpage.  Sports officials who attended the briefing expressed shock, stressing the tagline is used by jailed opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar...

As published in Malay Mail today HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol SPORTS and politics in Malaysia have always enjoyed an “incestuous” relationship,  as I pointed out in an article ‘ Sport has no place for political ideologies ’ last Dec 24 in which I took issue with politicians who unashamedly gatecrashed the sporting arena for personal gain.   Today, I reinforce that stand in the wake of the Selangor Sports Council using #KitaLawan! (let’s fight) as its 2016 Malaysia Games (Sukma) battle cry.   I am appalled. It’s a political hashtag that emerged after Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sentenced to five years’ jail for sodomy on Feb 10. It has no place in sports.   A logo, complete with the motto, was unveiled during a Sukma briefing last Friday and Sunday Mail that first broke the story has Selangor executive councillor for sports Amirudin Shari on record saying it was a “non-issue”.   He said the battle cry was to motivate...

As published in Sunday Mail By Vijhay Vick vijhayvick@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA — Sports officials, athletes and observers have lambasted Selangor for adopting the #KitaLawan motto for next year’s Malaysia Games (Sukma). The motto, revealed during a briefing with state sports associations at De Palma Hotel in Ampang on Friday, is the tagline used by jailed opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s supporters who are fighting for his release. The Sukma motto has the words Selangor peneraju kecemerlangan sukan (Selangor spearheading sports excellence) above an eagle’s head and #KitaLawan! below. The meeting was organised by the Selangor Sports Council and chaired by state executive councillor for sports, Amirudin Shari. Amirudin insisted the tagline was “not an issue”. Sukma is the national games participated by athletes aged 21 and below. The 2016 edition is in Sarawak. “It is a tagline associated with resistance. Sukma is a sporting event for the young. It is ...