Latest news with #SukmaGames
Focus Malaysia
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Ramasamy takes a swipe at RSN Rayer for riding on Silambam to pursue politics of credit-grabbing
DAP lawmaker RSN Rayer recently claimed that the federal government is prepared to address matters even if they are not raised or debated in Parliament. He cited the example of the Indian martial art Silambam which was initially excluded from the 2026 SUKMA Games but later reinstated following protests from the Indian community. The Jelutong MP known for his boisterous behaviour in Parliament took Indian opposition leaders to task for 'making a mountain out of a molehill' by arguing that Indian Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders were unfairly criticised for not championing Silambam's cause. Yet, Rayer knows well that without the hue and cry from the Indian community, Silambam would have remained excluded from the 2026 Sukma Games to be hosted by Selangor. What is there to credit both the federal and state governments for reinstating the event when their action came only after public outrage? 'Bootlicking gesture' Instead of advising the Selangor state government to include Silambam, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh chastised critics for racialising the issue. Strangely, she passed the buck to the Selangor SUKMA committee when – as SUKMA chairperson – she could have prevented the exclusion in the first place. While quick to rebuke the critics, she lacked the courage to admonish the state organisers. Rayer's comments give the impression that the federal government ensures effective representation for the Indian community. In reality, aside from regularly praising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the 'Gandhi-Mandela' of Malaysia, he rarely speaks on behalf of Indian Malaysians. If he truly believed in championing the cause, he could have raised Silambam's omission in Parliament – but he didn't. Although DAP has shed much of its pretence of being a multi-racial party, Rayer keeps the appearance of multi-racialism alive by avoiding Indian issues altogether. Most of the time, he seems to forget he is an Indian MP – likely because speaking up might displease his party bosses. The reinstatement of Silambam in the 2026 Sukma Games was won not by federal or state benevolence but by the persistent and trenchant criticisms of the Indian public. Meanwhile, Indian leaders in PH appeared more focused on their sycophantic roles than on community advocacy. It is no wonder Indian support for the PH-led coalition has dwindled over the past two years. – Aug 12, 2025 Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image credit: Bernama
Malaysiakini
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Yeoh must address racism in sports
COMMENT | Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh must be living in a dream world to ask critics of the 2026 Sukma Games not to 'racialise' the exclusion of Silambam, the Indian art of self-defence, from the event hosted by Selangor. As the minister responsible, Yeoh should not deflect criticism by accusing others of racialising the issue. What is truly baffling is her apparent acceptance of Selangor's decision, as if her ministry is powerless to intervene. If the host state can include and exclude sports at its whims and fancies, then why do we even have a Youth and Sports Ministry headed by a federal minister?
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Silambam's exclusion from Sukma deemed unfair
Compiled by C. ARUNO, SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI and R. ARAVINTHAN THE exclusion of the traditional Indian martial art of Silambam from Sukma Games 2026 has left the sport's exponents disappointed, Malaysia Nanban reported. Silambam has long been part of Indian and Tamil identity, Malaysia Silamban Association president Dr M. Suresh said. The association is worried that the decision to omit the important sport was based on unproven accusations against the association by unidentified persons. This would be unfair and against the spirit of sports, Suresh added. > Hindu extremists in India allegedly poisoned the water tank of a primary school because the headmaster was Muslim, the daily also reported. The incident came to light when 11 students at a village school in Karnataka fell ill suddenly and had to be admitted to the hospital. It was found that they had been affected by pesticides mixed into the water tank, but luckily none were seriously injured. Police later arrested three men, who reportedly confessed to poisoning the school's water supply so that the headmaster would be blamed for the students falling ill. They were hoping that this would result in the headmaster being transferred elsewhere. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
The Sun
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Pickleball passion in full swing
SEREMBAN: Leveraging on the rapid growth of pickleball in Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan hosted its inaugural state-level open tournament, the 'Pickleball Network Cup 2025', held at The Pickle Place here on Saturday. The event attracted 56 skilled players, showcasing the increasing popularity of the sport across the state since its introduction in 2020. More than just a competition, it reflected a shared commitment among the younger generation to embrace healthy, active lifestyles and strengthen the vibrant sporting spirit of the community. Bukit Kepayang assemblywoman and state Tourism, Arts and Culture executive councillor Nicole Tan commended the growing enthusiasm for pickleball among young people. 'I'm happy to see that more youngsters are getting involved in this sport. The younger generation are playing until the early hours, and this is a positive development. 'This will deter them from hanging around at eateries or partying all night. It's far better to spend their time engaging in sports activities,' she said after the prize-giving ceremony for the event. 'This will also help to keep the younger generation fit and healthy, as sports is a form of exercise.' Tan added that Negeri Sembilan has emerged as an active hub for pickleball, while expressing confidence that with encouragement from the state government, more youth would be drawn to the sport. To boost momentum in the sport, she presented a RM1,000 contribution to the Negeri Sembilan Pickleball Association to support its initiatives in promoting and expanding pickleball throughout the state. The tournament featured two teams of 28 players each, with the 'Dinking Dynamos' group emerging victorious, scoring 113 points against rivals 'Smash Spartans', with 67 points. The top performers, recognised as the 'Most Valuable Players' for earning the highest points for their teams, were Stella Carra Ross and G. Sunder Ganasan from the Dinking Dynamos, along with Vernon Chan and Tira Low from the Smash Spartans. Association president Michael Robin Jayesuria said there are approximately 500 pickleball players in the state, spanning all age groups. He added that the sport is rapidly gaining popularity as more people are drawn to its unique combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis. Jayesuria said the association has actively reached out to advocate the introduction of pickleball in schools, with the ultimate goal of having the sport included in the Sukma Games. He expressed hope that local governments would allow the use of existing sports facilities for pickleball to engage more youth. 'Many local sports facilities are under-utilised, including courts for sepak takraw, badminton and futsal. It would be great if these could also accommodate pickleball games,' he said, adding that such sharing of facilities were already in practice at the Rasah Kemayan Sports Complex, where futsal and pickleball games are held. He said expanding such a practice would allow more people to experience pickleball, setting a trend for such arrangements to be made at other facilities. Jayesuria also said the Star Fresh Agro Park in Kuala Pilah is paving the way for growth of the sport in the state, having opened four pickleball courts in January. 'This is a fantastic step forward, but we need more private companies to come on board. 'Converting vacant properties into pickleball courts would provide much-needed spaces, and financial support from businesses would also help drive growth of the sport,' he added.
