Azizulhasni (left) receiving his reward from Ahmad Shabery at a ceremony yesterday.The Youth and Sports Ministry wants an Olympic-standard indoor velodrome to be built under the 10th Malaysian Plan (2011-2105).
Its minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said cost and location had not been determined yet but the ministry was seriously pursuing the matter and, if given the nod, construction could begin in 2011.
"If it can be ready by the London Olympics of 2012, it will be source of pride for us and serve as an inspiration to Malaysian cyclists to strive for the country's first Olympic gold at the London Games," he said.
While it is good to have a world class facility for cycling, the ministry must also look into the development aspect of cycling, an area that needs a major re-thinking.
Most states are having second thoughts about producing track cyclist because once a rider achieves a certain standard, he would be roped in by the National Sports Council (NSC) under the elite or junior programmes.
These riders, who are well taken care by the NSC, would be almost fully involved in international competitions and overseas trainning stints. That leaves the states without their top riders for most of the season.
An understanding has to be worked out with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) and its affiliates whereby the NSC can take the riders, but allow them to represent the states in domestic as well as international meets.
Although having world-class cyclists, Malaysia now only have two open-air velodromes, in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, Perak.
Ahmad Shabery had earlier presented cash rewards on behalf of the ministry to national cyclists for winning two gold, two silver and two bronze at the 29th Asian Cycling Championship held in Kalimantan, Indonesia last week.
Terengganu-born Mohd Azizulhasni Awang received a total of RM13,333 for winning two gold at the meet, in the individual 200m sprint and team sprint.
Others who received the incentives were Mohd Rizal Tisin (RM8,333), Fatehah Mustapha (RM6,000), Mohamad Hafiz Mohamed Sufian (RM5,000) and Muhammad Edrus Md Yunos (RM3333).
Joe,
ReplyDeletePak menteri belia dan sukan kita ini macam-macam berjanji sampai orang dah tak percaya lagi. Eloklah dia cakap yang boleh masuk otak sahaja. KSU kementerian dan KP MSN bantu nasihat dia agar tidak cakap bukan-bukan. Macam Malaysia ni ada ramai pelumba basikal trek. Tournament basikal terutama trek di Malaysia pun kurang sekali. Memadailah dulu velodrom di Cheras. Upgrade velodrom tu jadi indoor pun cukup. Lagipun DBKL boleh uruskan penyelenggaraan.
Hi Fair Play,
ReplyDeleteRosmanizam for Sec Gen? Pl leave him alone.MMCA needs him. Look at what he and Tun Ahmad Sarji have done for MMCA..it's greater than the debt-ridden MCA. Without MMCA cricket is dead. You don't need someone like Ros to run a glorified shell-organisation like OCM whose only duty seems to be to send in Malaysian entries for SEA Games Asian Games, Olympics and Com.Games.
It's NSAs,SSAs and bodies like MMCA that really do the hard work. That's where people of caliber are required.So please don't take Ros away. He is already contributing to Olympic
movement as Asst Treasurer of OCM.
Aiyoh...another minister who likes to spend on white elephants. When can Malaysia get rid of this type of ministers who like to spend without improving on existing facilities? There are other sports facilities that are in dire need rather than another velodrome. 1st give us back the emphasis of sports in schools and fields to play sports to Malaysian (when all these open spaces are taken up by development or concrete jungle).
ReplyDeletePlease don't make a mockery of the 1Malaysia's tagline - Rakyat didahulukan, Pencapaian diutamakan. How can you have a sports industry, when Malaysian doesn't play or actively participate in sports? When the very people in the Sports Ministry keeps on building white elephants or start a project that ends abruptly?
Either the Minister get rid of his present set of sports advisors with self-interest or get those who ready loves sports for what's sports is. Then sports in Malaysia will improve.
What's the point to have world class facilities but a lack of sportsmen or sportswomen to use them? Waste of rakyat's money!
I wish to concour with Anon 10:41, please keep Ros as Asst Treasurer of OCM and Sec of MMCA.
ReplyDeleteLet the old foggies, senile good for nothing sports ppl and pencil pushing has been to be the Sec Gen of OCM.
The NSAs, SSAs need more capable and caliber people like Ros to be around...as do some NSAs & SSAs are becoming like OCM themselves. The old wise men or should I say old 'senile men' are not giving way to more younger blood for a breath of fresh air and ideas.
Hello...the world around us has moved into the 21st century but most of the NSAs or even SSAs are still stuck in the sports' glory days of the 1950s or 1980s. When are you people going to wake up from your slumber?
You old foggies better train up the young to take over before you drop dead and make your NSA/SSA become fossil like yourselves. There's more at stake than yourselves...unless you have all forgotten about it or have turn stone deaf and blind about it!
Today as I read the Star of MNCF dep pres Datuk Naim comments about what he described the proposal of building a new covered velodrome of international standard as a timely and felt that it would not become a white elephant if properly utilised. How would that be when the 1 in Cheras has been that and been under utilised.
ReplyDeleteHe continued to say that the velodrome can be designed to be multi-purpose, and can be used for concerts and other events as well. Well if you want a hall for concerts or any other events the government should just build a pavilion instead of a velodrome...why should the sports ministry waste tax payers money for a 250m timber track when ppl (concert goers will walk on it and spoilt it).
Time of these wastage should be stopped! If the ministry is serious to build it...do it in Bkt Jalil and make it a training center for all cycling competitors (local & international bound) and no to concerts.
There's enough of hall for it (Std Putra, Std Negara n previously Std Merdeka). Please don't spoil or make dual purpose or multi-use of stadiums or halls if it's not meant to be. If you think of building think for the usefullness of the sports and not just the $$$.
Come to think of it, it's shameful for MNCF to come up with the idea of holding concerts in the cycling velodrome...think of the maintenance of the track if its spoilt!
Pak Menteri mmg terkenal dgn merapunya sejak dulu lagi. Masa zaman S46 lagi mmg dah terbukti kemerapuannya..Datuk Naim...biasalah...tak payah komen lebih. Y don't Pak Menteri discuss with Teregganu Gov to built one in his state or his Parlimentry area since most so-called successful track cyclists are from oil rich state?? Don't waste money la Mr. Minster or Datuk Naim, go & upgrade KL Velodrome and use the money for unearth more young talent. MACC pls come in!!
ReplyDelete