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As published in Sunday Mail By Haresh Deol P ETALING JAYA — A former footballer has disclosed how Kuala Lumpur FA was “managed” by alleged bookie G. Prem Kumar in 2013. The footballer, who revealed all to Sunday Mail on condition of anonymity, described his season with the city side as a “nightmare”. Nicknamed Tom Boy, the 49-year-old Prem Kumar from Sentul was detained on Thursday and remanded on Friday for six days over allegations of match-fixing. This was following the arrests of three Malaysian Indian Sports Council-Malaysian Indian FA (MISC-MIFA) footballers for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices. Threatened in Sentul He added Prem Kumar, who was married to a police officer, was no stranger to the domestic scene and once played as a striker for Public Bank. “He then became an official with Public Bank (in 2003) and was active in community football. I’ve seen him play in smaller tournaments,” he said. Recalling the 2013 fi...

As published in Malay Mail today HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol THERE is something ‘magical’ about Malaysian football.  Its trophy cabinet is pathetic when compared to badminton and diving. Many within seem to own a DeLorean time machine for they are often stuck in the past. And the woes plaguing the FA of Malaysia (FAM) and state affiliates — from finances to ethics — are more alarming than Zika. Why is football still the nation’s No. 1 sport? Its pull factor is phenomenal. The sport has been able to reach out to many of all walks, uniting those of opposing views and enjoying hundreds of thousands of loyal fans. It comes as no surprise why many continue to be lured to the FAM presidency. Even holding a position, regardless how minute, is seen as an “achievement”. The nominations for the FAM top post will close on Monday, leaving fans and observers at the edge of their seats over who will take over from the Crown Prince of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Shah.\ Those nominated...

As published in Malay Mail today HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol A RATHER naïve but good-hearted devout Brahmin from Haryana, India with a magnanimous spirit helps a mute Muslim girl from Pakistan return home. That is the gist of the 2015 Hindi movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan (when translated means Brother Bajrangi). Bajrangi is played by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, a Muslim, while the cute "Munni" is played by seven-year -old Harshaali Malhotra, a Hindu. The Bollywood fanfare aside, the real hero of the movie, to me, was Nawazuddin Siddiqui — a Pakistani reporter (Chand Nawab) in the movie. Chand documents the journey of Bajrangi and Munni as they travelled from the India-Pakistan border to the little girl’s village in Sultanpur, Pakistan. Chand uploads their epic adventure on YouTube and it goes viral. The story of Bajrangi and Munni is later picked up by the local press in India and Pakistan. For the record, the character of the journalist in the movie was inspired by ...

As published in Malay Mail today HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol THE drains are clogged, rubbish strewn everywhere. Rats run around as mosquitoes breed in stagnant waters. Children, some learning to walk, play in such unhygienic conditions. This sums up the living conditions of the pockets of refugee communities in Ampang. Mostly from Myanmar, they live in small houses and make do with what little they earn from carrying out odd jobs. Those staying there are mostly illiterate. They know many among them are sick and some have died. To them, it is a way of life. Heading to the nearest hospital — Ampang Hospital — is a pricey affair. They instead rely on advice by sinseh who run traditional medicine shops nearby their homes. Malay Mail Afternoon, on Jan 11,  highlighted a possible rotavirus outbreak among the community in Ampang following the death of a 15-month-old baby on Dec 26. Another four children, between the ages of six months and three years were admi...

As published in Malay Mail today. IF hypocrisy was competed at the Olympics, we would have won gold a long time ago. Why do I say that? Here goes: Hypocrisy 1 Some two weeks ago I had a chat with some acquaintances.We were discussing the current predicament faced by Malaysians. Hailing from various backgrounds, speaking to them allowed me to better understand the very many sentiments of the average Malaysian on a Light Rail Transit. The subject of racism was raised. The group swore they were Malaysian first and demanded to be treated with respect and equally. They said no one should be judged by the colour of their skin or faith. I asked: “So if you brought a guy or girl of a different colour or faith home, would it be a problem?” One put his head down and said yes. Another in the group blurted: “My parents will kill me.” There was utter silence around the table. So much for respect and equality. Hypocrisy 2 Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali l...

As published in Malay Mail today Soo Siew Lan, 76, dances with staff Khairiah Mad Hassan during a fun therapy session at Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Monday. Medical staff should comfort patients despite budget cuts. - Picture by Hari Anggara (Malay Mail) HARESH SAYS By Haresh Deol I BECAME a father on Oct 24. Having been by my wife’s side every step of the way, we were blessed with our bundle of joy, a baby boy, just days before Deepavali.   Our journey to parenthood was made easy thanks to one man — Datuk Dr Alex Mathews. A well-known figure in the fraternity and beyond, the former Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia president (1993/1994) comforted us every step of the way through his fatherly-like approach.   The well-groomed tie-wearing doctor, who could pass off as a headmaster, has a keen interest in sports. Having served the government for many years, his experience and wisdom are evident not only through his greyish hair but from his choic...

As published in Sunday Mail Murthy looks at the ruins of his house. - Picture by Azneal Ishak (Malay Mail) By R.Loheswar loheswar@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR — It will not be a Happy Deepavali for golfer S. Murthy as he woke to news of his house having burnt down in the early hours of   Thursday . Murthy was playing in the Perlis Closed which began   on Wednesday . He carded a 76 and looked in good nick to make the cut. When he awoke at   6.30am   on Thursday   he saw he had more than 40 missed calls. “I immediately called my sister and she said the house had caught fire in the wee hours of the morning,” said a dejected Murthy, who represented Malaysia from 1990 to1996.  “We (Murthy and his wife) immediately drove back to Banting.”  The source of the fire is unknown but early indications are a faulty socket might have been the cause. No one was hurt, but Murthy’s father Somasundaram Sadayan, 69, was in the hous...

As published in Malay Mail today Fans should just forget about football, for now, and support our heroes in Rio.   By Haresh Deol haresh@mmail.com.my THE only thing certain in Malaysian football — is uncertainty.   Many things have been uncertain for far too long. One of them is the FA of Malaysia’s (FAM) leadership. FAM president Tengku Abdullah Shah, who turned 57 on Saturday, has made it clear he wants out from the national body. The Pahang Crown Prince had last year announced he was ready to step down following the nation’s disastrous outings in the World Cup/Asia Cup qualifiers.   However, there were those who begged him to reconsider — for reasons best known to them. Having a member of the royal family gives them the impression that FAM will not have to worry about its finances and stature, perhaps.   Having dealt with Tengku Abdullah on many occasions, he, like his father former FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah, has always been clear about his role i...