Here is a letter from Mr. Chua Ah Tok (seen in picture above with IOA Director, Isidiro Kouvelos). The contents are self explanatory and and it gives a clear indication of the worsening state of affairs in some sections of sports in the country.To Hon. Secretaries
National Sports Federations
Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this. As you know, I have been the Director of the National Olympic Academy (NOA) of Malaysia for more than 15 years. I have been conducting Olympic Academy Sessions every year for the last twelve years and many of you have been sending participants to the academy very regularly. Some of you who have sent really good participants have been fortunate enough to have your candidate selected to represent Malaysia at IOA in Olympia, Greece or for the many other trips to USA, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Turkey, etc.
I have been also conducting more than 45 IOC Olympic Solidarity Sports Administration Courses for officials and coaches all over the country. Many of you may have attended these courses. I have enjoyed teaching and sharing with you my knowledge and experience. I hope you enjoyed it as well and I hope you gained from the experience.
I would also like to mention that I have also initiated the establishment of the Nilai UC – OCM scholarship for former and current national athletes. Through this programme, Nilai University College currently offers 5 scholarships per year for athletes who meet the entry requirement of MQA. Many former athletes like Carol Lucia (Track & Field), Loke Teng Kee (Volleyball), Harwinder Singh (Archery), Senathiraj (Cricket) Eng Chin Wai (Taekwondo), Daniel Lim (Sailing) and Leong Zhi Weng (Chess) have benefitted from this scholarship scheme.
I wonder how many other OCM Committee have done this much for athletes and young leaders for their tertiary education.
I shall now have to give up my involvement in the NOA as the OCM feels that at 64 years I am too old to run the academy! Of course, other Directors of Academies all over the world are mostly in the 70s. But then, as you know OCM is a young Council and does not have “oldies” in its ranks!
The OCM has also decided to ask all NOAs, to submit nominations to replace me.
That is OK with me, but I hope you will give your nominations serious choice. Remember that it is for the Director of the Academy. He should be strong in sport and have a strong academic background with a clear understanding of Olympism, Olympic values and Olympic education. He must also have strong organizational and presentation skills.
In the NOA we established a succession plan some years ago. As I am too old to continue as Director (according to OCM Board) I would like to suggest that Dr. Leo Ann Mean (he is about 60 years) be nominated to succeed me.
Dr Leo has been actively involved with the Academy from the beginning. He is an outstanding educationist. He was Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya and is Adjunct Professor for a number of foreign universities in Malaysia. He has written many books and lectured at international conferences and seminars. He was also a good athlete (represented Malaysia in Fencing in the SEA Games) and a former Hon. Secretary of the Malaysian Fencing Association. He will ensure that the Academy will continue to do the good work it has been doing – in fact I believe he will take it to greater heights. Please say ‘No’ to political appointments and nominate someone who has the capacity to make Malaysia proud.
If I am too old at 64 to be the Director, then I believe the OCM will consider my Secretary, M.P. Haridas also too old to hold the post he has been holding from the very beginning. He is already 71 (born in the same year as Dato Sieh Kok Chi, the Hon. Secretary of OCM) so he must be too old. The succession plan for the Secretary of the NOA has also been in place for some time. Our plan was to groom Dr Shamala Subramaniam of MWHA to take over as secretary as soon as she was ready.
An educationist attached to University Pertanian Malaysia, a former National hockey player, the current MWHA Secretary and outstanding NOA participant who received special recognition from the IOA, I believe she will be a great choice!
The choice is entirely yours but please make wise choice for the future of the Academy and Malaysian sport.
For more information on the appointment of the NOA Director, you can read a special feature “Pierre De Coubertin of Asia” in this blog. Kindly read and give comments.
Once again I would like to thank you for all the support that was given to me all these years and I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together in future projects.
Best wishes,
CHUA AH TOK
Director (1994-2009)
National Olympic Academy of Malaysia
For an academician 64 (in the eyes of Sieh Kok Chi)is old. Than he should look at himself. He still feels that he is still capable to run the OCM even though he has made so many blunders in the past years and he gets himself out of the situtation in virtue to the fact that he has got the President (who knows not what is going on in the OCM office) and a bunch of "yes SKC, anything you do and say is ok" Board members who will salvage the dirty situation for him.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the Director of the National Olympic Academy. It looks like SKC does not like him and feels that at 64 he is unworthy of the position. But people around have to realise that the older the person the more information can be taught to the young ones. Mr. Chua Ah Tok and Mr. MP Haridas are so well versed in the subjects that are to be passed on that they should be retained. If another person is appointed and does the programmes as their predecessers than they will also be in the same positions whereby SKC will be going for them if they do not tow the line.
Than when things do not happen as SKC wants than he will arrange for his people e.g Ms. Moira Tan to take over as she is an educator. But who is she? Even as the director of the advance management course she fumbles to give out answers to questions that are asked. A lot have to be said as informations have been going around saying that she depends on others to do the lectures. Hey, in every person, even with a PHD degree they still make mistakes and they learn from it. It has been noted by some of the participants that silence is golden but when one does not know the answer silence is that one has not taken the effort to know what they are suppose to know. They too can be dumb. Attending the closing of one of the academy session recently it was noted that SKC was the guest of honour and was overheard telling the participants (oversea participants included)the grouses he has about certain associations. Please ensure that this does not happen. We do not hang our dirty linens in public.
Lets ensure that we give the values of Olympism in the good way and not the SKC way. Select the correct people to ensure that it is able to guide the young people.
Mr. Chua has done so much for the betterment and promotion of Olympism and Sports for All and his credentials and accomplishments speak for itself.
ReplyDeleteWe can't help but feel if an accomplished and extremely qualified person like Mr. Chua is not allowed to continue a job that he is exceptionally good in, there is REALLY NO HOPE IN MALAYSIAN SPORTS if the prevailing mentality continues.
Pierre de Coubertin once said that Sports is the unifying and defining factor in the human spirit but if its now used by parties in Malaysia to further their OWN interest...they are doing is a shame and taint on Malaysian sports.
Be brave and ignore the veiled threats of a person who has himself gone beyond his years, step aside from the politics and do what is RIGHT for a change.
I believe from the very second i graduated from the 5th NOA session, this is a platform where Sports can truly be presented from an intellectual and academic perspective and serve the sports community better. Hence why I have dedicated the past 7 years as a VOLUNTEER with the NOA to serve its purpose.
Nicholas Chan
Chief Moderator
International Peak Performance Coach
National Olympic Academy of Malaysia
It is so obvious that the "old man" who has given his heart and soul into promoting Olympism and fair play throughout his entire life is again being played out by the power crazy and jealous "so much older man".
ReplyDeleteIf you are basing the criteria strictly on age, don’t you think that the "so much older man" should leave first before the "old man". Therefore don’t put age as an issue here. It’s more for the "so much older man" own agenda and jealousy of seeing the "old man's" success.
For me there will never be a better person for the job other then the “Pierre De Coubertin of Asia”
Hang the rest of them.
If you are looking for a sports icon...a man of passion and full of passion for the work in sports, you will find it in the person of Mr. Chua Ah Tok. Eventhough I personally doesn't really know him...from what I see and hear...he really does have the heart for the young people in sports...the upcoming leaders.
ReplyDeleteBy removing him and replacing with a 'Yes' man or woman would just benefit the power-to-be and not the youths or young sports leaders in Malaysia and of the International sports leaders that participate in the Malaysian NOA sessions. It would be a great lost to the NOA sessions.
I would like the powers-to-be to look into themselves and ponder what they would want to achieve by removing Mr. Chua Ah Tok...what is the purpose? If it's going to benefit just yourselves and a small band of cronies...then I would think its with malice.
Where is the spirit of Olympic?...the Fair Play, Friendship and Peace that is being preached about in the NOA sessions unless it's just mere words and no action.
I too just like Nicholas was a graduate of the NOA session (NOA 2006) and have benefitted from it. Since 2007, I have been a volunteer to the session without fail and I do hope that I would still be part of it.
Vincent Ho
Hon. Secretary
Kuala Lumpur Bodybuilding Federation
NOA Moderator 2007-2009
I would also like to add to an earlier comment here about the incident during the closing address of the recent academy session and was shocked to hear that "wise old man" has aired dirty linen in public and also attacked the volunteers verbally during the close, he has labeled these volunteers "unethical and corrupted!"
ReplyDeleteMr. Chua has assembled what I can call the best team of young sports leaders from private colleges, corporate sectors, sports associations and academicians, he has nurtured them in the spirit of Olympism and inspired alot of them to take up leadership roles to better sports and society.
These young individuals are committed volunteers whom some have served for more than 7 years now, they have dedicated time away from their studies, personal work and families to ensure that the academy session is represented and organised in the most effective manner.
To call these fine young people UNETHICAL and CORRUPTED is a travesty and insult to their dedication. YES...they do not have the length or years and wisdom of their detractors but their heart is in the right place. They have not taken a SINGLE cent from the OCM or NOA during ANY of the session and has in fact contributed far beyond the call of duty everytime. HOW CAN YOU CALL THEM CORRUPTED THEN? THESE ARE VOLUNTEERS FOR GOD'S SAKE!
They talk about succession planning and speak of the lack of leadership in Malaysian but they are allowing the VERY institution that instills these values in young sports leaders to be handed over to self-serving people who does not know anything about Olympism..let alone preach the values.
As Chief Moderator, I stand ready anytime to defend the dignity and integrity of any member, volunteer, facilitator and lecturer that is part of the NOA. These people are the heart and soul of sports and we should take heed that we can lose them just as fast as we can nurture them.
DO the right thing, put Mr. Chua or Dr. Leo into the seat of the Academy. The academy session is well known around the world. We even have graduates who have gone on to head their own Olympic Academies (Petri from Finland & Dr. Nattaya from Thailand).
I appeal to the Board to make the right choices.
Nicholas Chan
Chief Moderator
Fairplay, friendship and peace. Hello, that's what Olympisim is all about. That was taught to all the participants in the Academy. But is it practised in the Olympic Council of Malaysia? Does the Sec Gen practise the three important facts of Olympisim? I do not think so.
ReplyDeleteA good example after reading other blogs and this one, the feeling is that every association has been short changed and has been duped by the SG.
When reading the highlights of 7th June 2009, Sec Gen wrote a vicious paragraph on thoes who lost in the election. He feels that these people who lost has no integrity and had not done their jobs. Are you sure of this or he is just being spiteful. From information given by a lot of people have said that these candidates were instrumental to the development of the sports in the associations they were in. What has the SG done to the betterment of his sport (I think its waterpolo)? Stop the belittling of others and look at your self.
Do not forget that the world and life goes in a circle and that sooner or later you will be getting the same treatment. God have said that what you do unto others it will be done to you.
SUGGESTION:- Retrack what has been written and apologise via the same to tghe persons concern and at the same time the SG should stop writing the so called highlights. Find someone who is neutral to write.
we'll never walk alone
ReplyDeleteDear Ms Asst Secretary of OCM,
ReplyDeletePlease read the above writeup (all) carefully and see whether any of the contributors has actually written your name or unless its the Malay saying of "siapa yang makan cili dia yang rasa pedas". If not, please refrain from attacking me personally...as this shows bad upbringing or training as an educationist from your part!!!