Foul!

UPDATE (May 20, 2018; 3.15pm):   Lawyer representing Table Tennis Association of Malaysia admitted manner in which loans amounting to RM8 million given out by association to two developers was "not right" and that his client is taking steps to terminate the contracts. He said this after attending an exco meeting at the association's office in Bukit Jalil this morning. --- ORIGINAL POST The Table Tennis Association of Malaysia (TTAM) has been smashed with allegations of giving out RM8 million worth of "loans" to two developers, raising eyebrows and irking at least two of its affiliates. A police report has also been lodged over the matter. According to a letter by the Kuala Lumpur Table Tennis Association (KLTTA), written on May 3: i. TTAM's Financial Statement (ended March 31, 2018) presented during the 6th Exco Meeting on April 21, 2018 saw a total sum of RM8 million loans granted to two private companies - Ekal Jaya Sdn Bhd an...

Former national table tennis star Chiu Soo Jiin shares how she was emotionally drained after leaving the scene. — Facebook Following my earlier posting ' Life after sports for Malaysian athletes ', I've received numerous phone calls and messages by former athletes. The national heroes said the masses are unaware of the predicament they face once they leave the sporting arena and try to lead a normal life. One of them who reached out was former international table tennis player Chiu Soo Jiin, 32. In a rather moving message which she agreed to make public, here is what she said: "I read your article. Let me share this with you.  Table tennis was my life - since I studied at Bukit Jalil Sports School when I was 15 until I retired when I was 28. We were given an allowance of RM1,500 only and a sports scholarship.  Our sporting life is shot. One must have a degree to get a job easily. But not many athletes are degree holders. All they think about is competi...

As published in Malay Mail today - special focus on Malaysia-China celebrating 40 years of diplomatic ties.   It was an experience Soong Poh Wah will never forget.   In early 1971, the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia announced it would be holding trials as the best players would compete in the Afro-Asian Friendship Invitational tournament in Beijing in November the same year.   The meet was China's way of reaching out to the world as it had then struggled to communicate with other countries due to its communist ideology. For Soong, who was then a 21-year-old student pursuing his Bachelor of Science in University of Malaya, it was an opportunity to visit the mainland.   "We were excited as we were able to compete in China and visit the country for the first time. We didn't really, at that time, give much thought about the importance of the tournament," recalled Soong, who turns 64 on October 18. "But we soon realised it was China's way ...

Haresh Says, as published in The Malay Mail today. ONE was a nation with a rich history that had just undergone a cultural revolution. The other was a new country, eager to progress quickly. Both had differing ideologies but came together through a simple game of table-tennis. The Malaysian table-tennis team was invited to Beijing in 1971 to participate in the Asia-Africa-Latin America tournament. It was dubbed the “Ping-Pong diplomacy”. Three years later, Malaysia established formal ties with China – the first Asean country to do so despite differing political views. Former national champion Soong Poh Wah remembers the tournament well. He was 21 when he participated in the historical meet. “All of us enjoyed our stay. It was a well-organised tournament and China was a gracious host,” recalled Soong, 64. “They (organisers) arranged gatherings and even took us around, including visiting the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. It was a memo...

"....hockey, table-tennis and badminton were all re-instated." Those were the words of Myanmar's sports ministry official Htay Aung as quoted by AFP as the three sports will now be contested at the year end Myanmar Sea Games. Read more at: http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/myanmar-annoys-rivals-with-sea-games-picks-5583?cp Earlier reports confirmed several Olympic sports were axed from the regional Games as seen here . It caused a lot of dissatisfaction among participating nations. Kudos to the Olympic Council of Malaysia and their counterparts who fought their case. However, do expect plenty of fireworks during the Games - especially in football. Remember the "age manipulation" issue during the AFC Under-22 competition last year? Do read here and here to refresh your memory. The Harimau Muda A lads will get a clearly picture when they play Myanmar in a friendly match in Yangon on Feb 22. Oh well... HD says: The Sea Games should be ab...