Latest news with #NSC
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Sea Games selection based on merit, not team colours, says MNCF
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) has assured fans that they will only select the most qualified riders, regardless of which team they are from, to represent Malaysia at the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). MNCF secretary Arif Astaman said the national body will be assessing riders based on their performances in recent seasons, in line with Sea Games selection standards laid out by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Jefri Ngadirin had on Monday (July 14) directed MNCF to choose between sending Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) or Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) riders to represent Malaysia at the Sea Games. TSG and MPC are Malaysia's top professional cycling teams. "We are aware of what the director-general has said. We will, however, be selecting riders based on their recent performances, ranking and suitability with the course that will be used," said Arif when contacted today (July 15). "If all the riders who meet the selection criteria are from the same team, then so be it. "We, however, will not say that we will only be taking riders from TSG and that riders from other teams do not have a chance. "Doing that would be akin to shooting ourselves in the foot. We want riders who are in form, we don't care which team they are from. "At the end of the day, it is our responsibility to send the best team possible to defend our gold medal." NSC's directive was seen as a peculiar move as Malaysia has over the past two editions combined riders from both teams to positive effect, winning back-to-back gold in the mass start road race through TSG riders Nur Aiman Zariff (Hanoi 2021) and Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki (2023 Phnom Penh). Arif added that MNCF will begin the selection process soon as they have to submit the final squad registration to OCM by Sep 1. "I will be meeting with our (new) technical director John Beasley soon to discuss the selection process," he said. "With John as director we are introducing a new, more data-driven and performance-based approach when it comes to selection of riders. "We will use this as a benchmark on top of the assessment from the coaches as well as data from the National Sports Institute." MPC last week expressed their disappointment with NSC after requests made via MNCF for additional funding - including a request to purchase new time trial bikes - for the Sea Games were turned down outright by NSC. MPC team principal Sayuti Zahit said Malaysia needs the new time trial bikes, which cost roughly RM80,000 each, to compete on a level playing field with fellow contenders in the event such as Thailand and the Philippines. Sayuti confirmed that MPC will withdraw their riders from the Sea Games squad if they do not receive any positive news from NSC by next month. NSC said they had already allocated RM300,000 to MNCF to prepare the road squad for the Sea Games at the start of the year. MNCF last week disclosed that only RM196,000 of the allocation remains after expenses incurred to prepare and send riders to the Asian Championships in Thailand earlier this year. Malaysia has won six gold medals in road cycling at the last five editions of the Sea Games.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Choose which pro team to send to the Sea Games, NSC tells MNCF
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC), in a bizarre move, has asked the Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) to choose which professional cycling team it wants to represent the country at the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). NSC has told MNCF to choose between sending Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) and Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) - the country's only two UCI continental sides - to the competition. It is a peculiar decision as Malaysia has over the past two editions combined riders from both teams to great effect, winning gold in the mass start road race through TSG riders Nur Aiman Zariff (Hanoi 2021) and Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki (2023 Phnom Penh) thanks to backing from other TSG and MPC riders. NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said the agency has already allocated RM300,000 to MNCF to prepare a team for the biennial games. "We have discussed preparations for the Thailand Sea Games with MNCF during a workshop on Jan 16 and both parties agreed that the national team will be comprised of pro riders," said Jefri today (July 16 "It is, however, up to MNCF to choose which team, either TSG or MPC, to send to the Sea Games. "NSC has already channeled a portion of the RM300,000 allocated for Sea Games preparations to MNCF and thus, I believe there should not be any issue about preparations for the teams not being done adequately." MNCF last week disclosed that only RM196,000 of the allocation remains after expenses incurred to prepare and send riders to the Asian Championships in Thailand earlier this year. MPC last week expressed their disappointment with NSC after requests made via MNCF for additional funding - including a request to purchase new time trial bikes - for the Sea Games were turned down outright by NSC during a recent meeting with the MNCF road committee. MPC team principal Sayuti Zahit said Malaysia needs the new time trial bikes to compete on a level playing field with fellow contenders in the event such as Thailand and the Philippines. Sayuti said MPC will withdraw their riders from the Sea Games squad if they do not receive any positive news from NSC by next month. "MNCF have made a number of requests, including requests to purchase new bikes," said Jefri. "However, if they do choose TSG as the main team, they (TSG) already have all the equipment (needed). Thus it depends on which party MNCF chooses. "We have discussed this with MNCF a number of times, thus, statements about withdrawing from the games should not be made. "If they (MNCF) have other plans, they can come and sit down with NSC again to discuss and we can go over what other requirements they need for the Sea Games." Malaysia has won six gold medals in road cycling at the Sea Games over the past five editions (2015-2023). Prior to that, Malaysian cycling had suffered a 10-year gold drought at the Sea Games (2005-2015). Meanwhile, MNCF president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill assured that they will send a team to defend Malaysia's gold medal at the Thailand Sea Games. Amarjit stressed that he is willing to mediate between the parties involved. "The men's squad will defend the mass start road race gold they won in Cambodia, this is for certain. I will go to the ground to make it happen," said Amarjit in a statement released today. "I am prepared to personally meet with any party who is not satisfied with NSC. MNCF has a positive relationship with NSC.
Barnama
a day ago
- Sport
- Barnama
SEA Games 2025: NSC Denies Claims Of Funding Issues For National Road Cycling Team
PETALING JAYA, July 14 (Bernama) -- The National Sports Council (NSC) has denied allegations of weaknesses in the national road cycling team's preparations for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, asserting that funding has already been channelled to the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (PKBM). NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said an allocation of RM300,000 had been approved, with part of the amount already disbursed to fund preparations for the biennial games. 'We held a workshop to list athletes for the SEA Games with PKBM on Jan 16, and both parties agreed that the road cycling team will consist of professional riders. bootstrap slideshow 'However, the decision to choose either Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) or Malaysian Pro Cycling (MPC) lies under the jurisdiction of PKBM,' he told reporters after attending the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100PLUS Awards 2024 here today. He added that claims that the NSC had not provided support in terms of needs or preparations should not have arisen, given that team selection was PKBM's responsibility. Commenting on PKBM's request to purchase bicycles, Jefri said that if TSG were chosen to compete at the Games, the matter would not arise as the team already possesses the necessary equipment. 'If there is a new plan or additional requests, I urge PKBM to come and discuss with us so we can evaluate the matter together,' he said. Meanwhile, Jefri said the issue of clubs pulling out should not arise, given the prior understanding between NSC and PKBM. Earlier, PKBM president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill stressed that the national road cycling squad would not withdraw from the 2025 SEA Games and would aim to defend the medals won in the previous edition.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Pro cycling team feels slighted after NSC budget snub
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Professional Cycling (MPC) confirmed that they will not be sending their riders for the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20) if they do not get the support they need from the National Sports Council (NSC). The Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) road committee recently requested a budget from NSC during a meeting with them. The budget is to prepare the road squad for the Sea Games though it was rejected outright by the latter. MPC team principal Sayuti Zahit attended the meeting together with MNCF road committee chairman Norazman Abu Samah as well as Terengganu Cycling Team chief operating officer Nasiruddin Wan Idrus. "We only managed to verbally mention our requests during the meeting and were immediately shot down by the NSC officers," said Sayuti when contacted today (July 12). "We decided not to present to them our proposal for the Sea Games as they appeared adamant for us to just use the remaining budget they had given MNCF for this year. "We need new time trial bikes as well as some funds to support our riders in preparation for the Thailand Sea Games. "The same time trial bikes can also be used for the 2027 Sea Games so it would be killing two birds with one stone. "As I have said before, our best bet for gold at the Thailand Sea Games will be in the individual and team time trial events but we need to have up to date equipment to be on a level playing field with Thailand and the Philippines. "Without these bikes and proper preparation it would be almost pointless for us to send our riders to Thailand as we have very limited chances in the mass start road race. "If we do not get any positive news from NSC by next month, we will likely be withdrawing from the Sea Games competition." Hosts Thailand have opted to include long and steep climbs for the mass start road race to boost their riders' chances of winning thus Malaysia's best bet of gold would be in the time trial. The time trial bikes cost roughly RM80,000 each. Norazman earlier this week disclosed that NSC had allocated RM450,000 to MNCF to cover road cycling, mountain biking and BMX programmes for this year. MNCF had allocated RM300,000 to road cycling though only RM196,000 remains after RM104,000 was spent on preparation and competition costs for the Asian Championships in Thailand earlier this year. Sayuti, who had also founded MPC's predecessor, Team Sapura Cycling, said he felt that Malaysian professional cycling teams, including TSG, have not been appreciated enough for their contributions to the country. Malaysia's pro riders have won gold at every edition of the Sea Games since 2015 - except during Manila 2019 - which proves their consistency. "We have been more than happy to send our riders to compete for the nation over the years and because of the pro teams, NSC have not had to keep (men's) road cyclists on their full-time programme," said Sayuti. "We have been developing riders for the country - which is essentially NSC's job - using our own funding. Indirectly, this has saved them money. "In total, road cyclists from pro teams have won six Sea Games gold medals for Malaysia over the past 10 years. "Other sports such as football have not won gold at the Sea Games for a long time and yet, they still get millions in funding each year. "Cycling is without a doubt a team sport. You need six riders to win one gold. "Preparing a team for the Sea Games costs money and as a pro team, we only have limited funding from our sponsors. "This is why it is very disappointing and disheartening when we get immediately turned down when we ask for help. We feel that our efforts and contributions have not been appreciated."
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia can't expect ‘business as usual' with Trump 2.0. So what's the plan?
As this masthead reported on Thursday, the State Department was blindsided by the AUKUS review. When the review became public, the department told its embassies to tell reporters: 'We are not aware of a review of the AUKUS agreement.' Such matters would normally go through robust NSC procedures, sources say. Uncertainty also surrounds last week's Pentagon decision to freeze the supply of some munitions to Ukraine. Trump later reversed course, noting Ukraine was being pummelled by Russia and needed the weapons. Asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins who had ordered the pause, Trump said: 'I don't know. Why don't you tell me?' The next day, The New York Times' Shawn McCreesh asked Trump whether he managed to find out. 'I haven't thought about it,' the president said. McCreesh then asked what it said about the administration if the commander-in-chief was unaware of such an important decision. 'I would know,' Trump insisted. 'If a decision was made, I will know. I'll be the first to know. In fact, most likely I'd give the order, but I haven't done that yet.' Make of that what you will. Driving the Ukraine decision, and leading the AUKUS review, was Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. A former defence strategist from Trump's first term, Colby is known as a strong intellect, a fierce China hawk and a sceptic when it comes to sending American military hardware elsewhere, whether that be Australia or Ukraine. In August last year, while outside government, Colby told this masthead's Peter Hartcher he considered himself 'an AUKUS agnostic'. So far, he said, 'I have not seen the weight of compelling evidence'. He was more positive about the pact by the time his confirmation hearing rolled around in March. This week, in light of the Ukraine flip-flop, Colby's role has come under the microscope. A widely read piece in Washington favourite Politico – which some Beltway folks interpreted as a 'hatchet job' on Colby – quoted an unnamed source saying: 'He is pissing off just about everyone I know inside the administration.' The piece prompted the director of defence and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute think tank, Justin Logan, to pen a rebuttal painting Colby as the victim of an unfair attack in the Washington policy wars. 'He has been a thoughtful and loyal defender of the best parts of the America First foreign policy agenda, which explains why he has taken so much flak from those who cling to the status quo,' Logan wrote. Did Colby go rogue, or was he just doing what he is there to do? Stephen Tankel, a staff member of the National Security Council until January 2025 who was responsible for defence industry, says it's difficult to know because the normal processes that guide these decisions don't apply under the Trump administration. 'That creates opportunities for policy entrepreneurs, but it also creates dangers because if the process is nebulous, then a leader can think they are doing what they're supposed to do but end up somehow out of bounds,' says Tankel. Sophia Gaston, a senior research fellow at King's College London and a foreign affairs analyst with deep knowledge of AUKUS, argues the sense of chaos and disorder is a feature, not a bug. Loading 'The foreign policy framework in Washington is less defined than normal at the moment, in part because decisions are seemingly being taken by individuals on an ad hoc basis,' she says. 'It can be hard to know where the Trump administration will land on any particular issue, and that is partly by design. Trump was seeking to create a government of strategic ambiguity.' On the other side of the world at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Rubio poured cold water on any accusation of chaos or abnormality. The freeze on weapons for Ukraine was 'mischaracterised', he said. 'It was a very limited review of certain types of munitions to ensure that we had sufficient stockpiles.' As for the AUKUS review, Rubio said it was natural for a new administration to cast its eye over such a project. 'Just because you're reviewing something doesn't mean you're going to necessarily act on it,' he said. 'Our policies on AUKUS have not changed.' The crucial part for Australia is that Trump decided the supply of weapons had to continue. It suggests that even if the Pentagon is predisposed to a certain position, this president is willing to overrule. Many of those sweating on the AUKUS review point to the Ukraine decision as cause for optimism. Loading Where there's uncertainty, there's opportunity. That is something Trump understands intuitively. He wields it ruthlessly, including against allies. But it cuts both ways. There is uncertainty about who is calling the shots in Washington and what, if any, processes are in place underneath. Against this backdrop of chaos, with regular channels relegated to the back seat, what should Australia do? The experts are of one mind: business as usual won't cut it. 'This is a very different administration than those that have preceded it, including the first Trump administration,' says Charles Edel, Australia chair at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. 'Engaging with, and influencing, the Trump administration means throwing out the old playbook and conducting diplomacy differently.' Edel argues Albanese's political success at home makes him 'well situated to engage with Trump directly in a discussion of how to move alliance equities forward'. In other words: Albanese has a mandate. Use it. Loading Tankel says Australia needs to spend even more time than usual on political intelligence: figuring out who is in favour, who's not, and 'which power centres are staking out which positions'. London-based Sophia Gaston urges Australia to study the success of Britain, one of the few countries to negotiate the framework of a tariff deal with Trump 2.0. 'Governments might think they just need to 'tell their stories' better in Washington, but they will quickly find that this is a completely different regime that requires a distinct tactical approach,' she says. 'It's not about which political party you're from. We have a Labour government in power in London, but they were prepared to be ruthless on a political level. The relationship with the US is the No.1 prism through which every decision is made. 'We knew that we had to demonstrate our value, and our politicians have been extremely careful about public diplomacy. The government never took the battle over tariffs to the British people; they just quietly got on with doing the work behind the scenes. 'Australia and other allies have to understand that they need to win the war politically and build that goodwill on a leader-to-leader level first, and that is the price of entry to the policy collaboration.' In other words: less methodical, more mongrel.
