Latest news with #MSSM
Focus Malaysia
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Focus Malaysia
Should Malaysia's grassroot football initiatives be scrapped as national team features so many naturalised players?
THE issue of football players choosing to represent a national team other than their homeland is nothing new. Brazilian Deco is possibly the most high-profile case when he chose to don the colours of his adopted country – Portugal – in 2003. There are also a number of cases where players have opted to represent one of the British home nations such as Scotland and Wales based on their ancestry. This includes notable names such as Vinny Jones and Brennan Johnson – both born and raised in England but had Welsh ancestors in the family tree – thus qualifying them to play for the Welsh Dragons. But what if a player doesn't have any lineage to that nation nor having even lived there prior to donning its national jersey? This was the point digital creator Roman Akromovic (@SyedAkramin) strived to drive home on X by alluding to a post welcoming Facundo Garces to the Harimau Malaya (national football squad) ranks. Selepas 60 tahun dan ratus juta $$$ hangus, Malaysia gagal ke Piala Dunia. Kini FAM beri tumpuan kepada pemain naturalisasi dan warisan. Liga pun sudah benarkan 15 pemain import. Apa nasib sekolah sukan, akademi bolasepak, MSSM dan semua program akar umbi? Sudah boleh ditutup? — Roman Akramovich (@SyedAkramin) June 3, 2025 The Argentine who plies his trade as a defender with La Liga outfit Deportivo Alaves does not have any known link to Malaysia. This prompted the poster to suggest that after 60 years and hundreds of millions of ringgit invested, Malaysian football is still in the doldrums by failing to qualify for the World Cup. He went on to lament that the domestic league now permits up to 15 imported players while FAM (Football Association of Malaysa) itself was turning its attention to naturalised players. What of the many grass root initiatives such as MSSM (Schools Sports Council of Malaysia) and football academies? Were these to be shut down as well? Given the popularity of the sport in the country, it was no surprise that the post has gone viral, garnering 646.4K views at the time of writing. One netizen made his feelings crystal clear with an image featuring a banner that loudly denounced having foreigners in the national team. More than one favoured a system based on the Japan model highlighting its competitive domestic leagues that gave local players opportunities. This was the way forward as the proof is in the pudding – many Japanese players play professionally in top European clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal while helping Team Nippon to regularly qualify for the World Cup. Why the need to close all sports schools? They aren't just for the development of football alone, chided one netizen. Another argued that grassroot development is still required for the long term future of the sport. In fact, every local club should have its own youth academy to facilitate this, he surmised. A few were in favour of allowing players with links to Malaysia to represent the country. One commenter used the example of Morocco which widely used Ligue 1 players in France for its national team albeit those with the relevant heritage. But in the case of Garces, he has no known links to Malaysia. He is naturalised player who is quite simply a short-term fix. This is indeed a thorny issue which has wider repercussions for national identity, never mind the money spent on decades of development programmes. However, it can safely be assumed that all of the above would be forgotten should he help Harimau Malaya take that decisive step towards Copa Mundial glory. – June 5, 2025
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Sarawak MSSM divers exceed expectations
Shi (sixth right, back row) celebrates the amazing achievement with the Sarawak divers and officials. KUCHING (May 31): Sarawak's young divers are charting a bold new course toward international waters after dominating the Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) diving championship. Held from May 24-28 at the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) Arena Larkin Aquatic Centre, the event saw Sarawak rise to the top of the national diving scene with a commanding medal haul of nine golds, two silvers and six bronzes. The victory was hard-earned against stiff competition, with Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur finishing second with two golds, four silvers and two bronze medals while Selangor were placed third with one gold, three silvers and one bronze. Other teams in contention included Sabah, Penang, Johor, Perlis, Perak and Federal Territory of Labuan. Despite the strong field, it was Sarawak's consistent excellence across all age categories that set them apart from the rest of the teams. In the Boys' Under-18 division, Muhammad Lutfir Rahman struck gold in the 1m springboard and added a silver in the 3m springboard, while teammate Soh Tze Kang delivered another gold in the 3m springboard. In the Girls' Under-18 category, Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi secured a silver in the 3m springboard event. The winning momentum continued in the Under-15 category, with Brayden Wong claiming gold in the 3m springboard and bronze in the 1m springboard. On the girls' side, Cecelia Olivia dominated with double golds in both the 1m and 3m springboard, while Nur Ikmas Darwisyah contributed two bronze medals. Sarawak's youngest divers also made their mark. In the Boys' Under-12 division, Muhammad Hijri Rayyan captured gold in the 1m and bronze in the 3m springboard, while Awang Sharzan Zaqwan earned gold in the 3m and bronze in the 1m. For the Under-12 girls, Nur Aryna Balqis emerged as a double gold medallist in the 1m and 3m springboar, while Izara Leanne Sufeeya delivered strong fourth-place finishes in both events. To Sarawak head coach Shi Yang, the MSSM results exceeded all expectations. 'I didn't expect that we could win many gold medals and we were all very surprised. 'Our divers gave an outstanding performance by showing mental strength, great technique and resilience under pressure,' he added. However, the coach from China was quick to shift focus towards what lies ahead. 'This victory is just the beginning. Now we are preparing for the SEA Age Group Championships in Singapore. 'That will be our next big test. After that, we're building towards Sukma 2026 in Selangor. Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban (As long as we live, we fight),' he stressed. diving Malaysian School Sports Council sports
The Star
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Dhuha hopes to add mileage to long-distance swims before world juniors
PETALING JAYA: Teen swimmer Mohd Dhuha Zulfikry (pic) is hoping he can get more out of himself before competing at the World Junior Championships in August. The 17-year-old, who was named the Malaysian School Sports Council's (MSSM) Best Male Athlete, said he was satisfied with his performance at the recently concluded Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil.
The Star
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
No compromise on sports school bullying, says Education Ministry
PUTRAJAYA: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek says that her ministry will not compromise on any issue of bullying and sexual harassment involving sports school athletes. Speaking to reporters after officiating the 56th MOE-MSSM-MILO Sports Awards 2024 today, she urged all parties to remain vigilant and recognise the importance of safeguarding sports school athletes, as they are under the ministry. "We have zero tolerance for bullying and sexual harassment, including incidents that occur within the realm of sports schools, as these issues are not confined to academic settings alone. "We remain vigilant and committed to conducting thorough investigations whenever a complaint arises, ensuring that the rights of the students and complainants are fully upheld throughout the process,' she said. Earlier, Fadhlina presented 13 awards during the ceremony, with the Selangor School Sports Council emerging as the MSSM Overall Champion, while Johor and the Federal Territories secured second and third place, respectively. The MOE-MSSM-MILO Sports Awards celebrate young athletes who not only excel in their respective sports but also demonstrate a strong commitment to academic achievement. - Bernama
