Latest news with #NorzaZakaria
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Time for experienced athletes to deliver, says NSC DG
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Sports Council (NSC) has confirmed that Malaysia will be sending its top athletes to the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). The biennial games has in the past been used as a platform to give young athletes exposure at the international level, that, however, will not be the case this time said NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin. Malaysia is expected to send a contingent of roughly 900 athletes to compete in 50 sports in Thailand. "Many of the athletes we had targeted (for the games) have met the category A criteria. I believe we are in a good position to be competitive at the Sea Games," said Jefri recently. "The Sea Games this time is not about providing competitive exposure to new athletes. The athletes selected have all earned their place in the contingent on merit. "It is true what Tan Sri Norza Zakaria has said. (Younger) athletes who competed in Hanoi and Phnom Penh have now qualified under category A and it is time for them to win medals at the Sea Games (this year) before we host the 2027 Malaysia Sea Games." Earlier this week, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria said the focus for the 2027 games is on "performance" as athletes given exposure during the 2021 Hanoi and 2023 Phnom Penh games have now "matured". Athletes must achieve a score or time that equals or betters the top-three finishers from the previous edition of the Sea Games to qualify for category A. Category A athlete's competition costs - not to be confused with preparation costs - are borne by the government. Category B athletes, who have to meet top-six times or scores from the previous games, pay out of their own pockets to compete at the games but will be reimbursed if they win a medal. The decision to send top athletes makes sense as Malaysia suffered its worst-ever performance in the history of the games during the 2023 Phnom Penh edition when the national contingent failed to achieve the 40-gold target set for them and finished a lowly seventh overall on 34 gold, 45 silver and 96 bronzes. The national bodies of sports such as badminton and cycling have already made it clear they will be sending their 'A teams' to the games, which was not always the case in the past. Malaysia is expected to win more gold medals this time as a number of favoured sports such as track cycling, tenpin bowling, squash and waterskiing have been reincluded this year.
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
No more exposure-only approach for SEA Games
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should no longer treat the SEA Games in Thailand from Dec 9-20 as a platform to merely give athletes exposure. Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, who chaired the SEA Games selection committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said the list of athletes submitted by national sports associations for the year-end Games showed that Malaysia should compete as medal contenders.
Free Malaysia Today
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sports can unite all Malaysians, says prime minister
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre) at the Olympic House groundbreaking ceremony, flanked by Olympic Council of Malaysia president Norza Zakaria (left), and youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh (right). KUALA LUMPUR : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today reaffirmed the power of sports in unifying Malaysians across ethnic and cultural lines, saying it brings people together in shared support for a common cause. 'Whether in football or badminton, everyone is gathered together and wants one thing — for their team to win,' he said. 'It doesn't matter whether they are Malay or Chinese, Dayak or Indian. They are Malaysian.' Anwar was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Olympic House, which will serve as the new headquarters for the National Olympic Committee (NOC) Malaysia. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised Olympic Council of Malaysia president Norza Zakaria for working hard to ensure the sports complex is built. The event was also attended by youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh and Olympic Council of Malaysia president Norza Zakaria. In June last year, Anwar said shared interests and team spirit, cultivated through sports, had the capacity to bridge urban and rural communities, while also transcending ethnic and religious divides. Today, the prime minister drew a sharp contrast between the camaraderie found in sports and the divisiveness of politics. 'In politics, people tend to 'kill' one another,' he lamented, noting the lack of sportsmanship in political discourse. Commenting on the Olympic House, Anwar said the new complex would not only attract sports enthusiasts but also engage the wider public, especially the youth. He expressed hope that the housing of more than 50 sports organisations under one roof would foster collaboration and constructive dialogue. 'They must give ideas, suggestions and criticisms to enhance Malaysian sports,' he said. The prime minister commended Norza for his dedication in ensuring the project's realisation. Speaking separately, Norza said the RM93 million project, undertaken by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) through a land swap deal, is expected to take between 24 and 36 months to complete. According to Norza, the Olympic House is set to become Malaysia's first green-energy sports headquarters, designed to serve both people and the planet. 'What makes this project even more meaningful is the way it's being shaped. It will be a building that does not just serve people but also honours the environment at the same time.' He said the complex will incorporate sustainable materials, alongside energy-efficient features, including solar panels, smart lighting and natural ventilation. It will also boast rainwater harvesting systems and native landscaping to enhance comfort while minimising adverse environmental impact. 'Over 26% of the site will be dedicated to green space,' Norza added. 'It will be a place that reflects the values we want to live by.' The building will be located near the National Hockey Stadium and will be modelled after the International Olympic Committee's headquarters in Switzerland.
New Straits Times
20-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Don't worry 'we have RM40 million in the bank', says OCM supremo
KUALA LUMPUR: Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria has assured that the umbrella body has solid financial footing ahead of their move to Bukit Jalil. OCM has inked a land swap deal with Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) to build their new headquarters - dubbed the Olympic House - on a 5.38 acre plot of land that will be leased (30 years) from the government. In return, MRCB will take ownership of OCM's current headquarters — Wisma OCM (0.73 hectare) at Jalan Hang Jebat - in return for building a new RM93 million state of the art facility for OCM. Certain quarters recently questioned OCM's decision as the latter will not get any cash out of the deal, adding that it could potentially strain OCM financially in the future once the 30-year lease in Bukit Jalil expires. Norza said the move is part of their plans to modernise OCM and assured that they have a "healthy balance sheet". "We have received criticism with some saying it is not a good business decision," said Norza yesterday (July 19). "We are, however, not sacrificing anything. We will get a better building in a better location close to our stakeholders. We will not be stuck in traffic between a school and Petaling Street anymore. "As I have said before, we could just take RM20 to RM30 million and build a small office in Balakong or Bukit Beruntung and keep the rest of the money, but do we really want that? "Our balance sheet is healthy, we have RM40 million in the bank. We are also under the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Every year we get (RM) three to five million in funding coming in through sponsorships and so on, so we are okay (financially). "Our objectives and our core business are different (from other organisations). We are in the process of modernising OCM and we want to establish a well respected organisation. We have to lead by example. "This issue has been addressed with our affiliates and they are fully supporting the move to Bukit Jalil." Norza added that a hotel will also be incorporated into the Olympic House project to generate recurring income for OCM. The new headquarters will also feature offices for over 32 national sports associations, an auditorium, a media conference room as well as various other modern facilities. OCM yesterday announced that a committee has been formed to oversee the Olympic House project to ensure that OCM receives a facility worthy of the RM93 million valuation. The committee is led by OCM secretary-general Datuk Nasir Ali with Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) president Gerard Monteiro as deputy chairperson. Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill (cycling), Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz (lawn bowls) and Akhramsyah Sanusi (chess) will serve as committee members. The Olympic House is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 at the earliest.
New Straits Times
19-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
OCM endowment fund set to boost Malaysian sports
KUALA LUMPUR: The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) is looking to establish a National Sports Endowment Fund to boost funding for Malaysian sports. OCM president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria said Malaysian sports can no longer expect the government to fund sporting initiatives and must look for more support from the corporate sector. OCM held their first executive council meeting for the 2025-2029 term in Bukit Kiara today (July 19). "The executive council unanimously approved the proposal to establish a National Sports Endowment Fund to serve as a long-term investment platform," said Norza during a press conference here today. "The fund will draw contributions from the private sector which includes corporations, foundations and individuals who wish to provide assistance to national sports associations, athletes and coaches. "The fund is also to help sports that require hand-holding, sports which find it hard to secure sponsorship. "But to attract these contributors, we need to provide them incentives (such as tax incentives). We will need to come up with these incentives and propose them to the government for approval. "There must be clarity when it comes to incentives, only then will the private sector come. Without clarity, it will not be easy to entice them." Norza added that the management of the fund will be free of political interference. "The fund must be run by professionals and be free of political interference. We will have a board of trustees," said Norza. "We hope to get this fund up and running by the end of the year, or by the first quarter of next year at the latest." OCM has also set up a committee - dubbed the Olympic House Project Steering Committee - to oversee the construction of their new headquarters in Bukit Jalil. The committee is led by OCM secretary-general Datuk Nasir Ali with Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) president Gerard Monteiro as deputy chairperson. Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill (cycling), Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz (lawn bowls) and Akhramsyah Sanusi (chess) will serve as committee members. "This committee will oversee the entire project to ensure that we get a new facility that is worth RM93 million (and not get shortchanged) and to also make sure that the entire process is transparent," added Norza. The new OCM headquarters will be built on a 5.38 acre plot - leased from the government - by Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB), funded via a land swap deal with the latter. MRCB will in exchange take the 0.73 hectare plot of land - valued at RM93 million - along Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur where OCM's current headquarters, completed in 1991, are situated. OCM has also set up various standing committees to oversee different sectors for the 2025-2029 term. OCM Standing Committees for 2025-2029 term: Selection, membership, media (all chaired by Tan Sri Norza Zakaria), marketing and sponsorship, winter sports (both Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad), East Malaysia (Azizul Annuar Adenan), general purpose and awards (Datuk Sumali Reduan), museum, hall of fame and welfare (Datuk Iruan Zulkefli), gender equity (Nurul Huda Abdullah), building and facilities (Datuk Dr Chong Kim Fatt), relocation of OCM headquarters task force (Datuk Nasir Ali), finance (Datuk Ahmad Feisal Ahmad Tajuddin), education and training (Moira Tan), medical and anti-doping (Datuk Dr S.S Cheema), legal advisory, rules and discipline (Datuk Seri Firuz Jaffril)
