JOHOR BAHRU − The Malaysian Handball Federation (MAHF) intends to meet with Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to find a solution to the debt crisis faced by the parent body, which has affected the participation of the national squad and the association at the international level.
Its president Pandak Ahmad said when he took over the leadership in March 2020, the federation was found to still owe RM133,000 to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) following arrears to cover expenses and the cost of athletes’ participation in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
“I have actually appealed to MOM (OCM) and it is at the negotiation stage. If we follow the conditions imposed, they want us to pay RM10,000 a month, but with this (Covid-19) pandemic situation, it is quite difficult (to pay) with no income.
“I had also asked for help from the previous Youth and Sports Minister (Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican) to resolve this issue with OCM, but OCM still upheld the decision. So, I will try to negotiate with the (current) minister (Faizal Azumu) so that this crisis can be resolved,” he told reporters here today.
Pandak also hopes that there will be a relaxation in the payment conditions previously imposed by OCM.
He said it was a loss for the federation as handball − which was the sport of choice at the school and university level − had many young talents, who could be featured internationally.
“The most significant effect is that we cannot participate in international competitions − whether at the ASEAN or Asian level − as we cannot send teams because OCM and the National Sports Council will not help us in terms of funds and so on,” he said.
Besides affecting the national squad’s ranking at the Southeast Asian level, last month saw MAHF being dropped by organisers from participating in elections at the International Handball Federation (IHF) World Congress in Istanbul, Turkey.
“We will also miss the Asian Cup qualifiers, which will take place in Saudi Arabia next month, and other international invitational competitions,” he said, adding that a final decision would be made at the MAHF Congress in Iskandar Puteri on December 14 before the meeting with Faizal Azumu takes place.
In March this year, MAHF was dropped as an OCM affiliate after failing to pay the debt arrears over the past three years.
In another development, MAHF will host the National Under-20 Handball Championship at the EduCity Indoor Stadium in Iskandar Puteri from December 16 to 20, after almost two years without any tournaments following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pandak said the tournament, which would be held in a round-robin format, would feature six men’s teams involving Kelantan, Perak, Selangor, Federal Territory, Pahang and Terengganu and six women’s teams comprising Johor, Terengganu, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Perak.
“This tournament is a pre-Malaysia Games (Sukma) event meant for state selection for next year’s Kuala Lumpur Sukma. So, the states will use the opportunity to select their players to the (KL) Games,” he said. – Bernama, December 9, 2021
