2019-11-16
Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM) hari ini mengajak masyarakat Cina untuk menyemarakkan semula penyertaan mereka dalam bola sepak tempatan bagi menawarkan dimensi berbeza terhadap lanskap sedia ada.
Bercakap pada upacara penutup Hari Akar Umbi Bola Sepak Cina yang diadakan di SJK (C) Lai Meng di Bukit Jalil, di sini hari ini, presiden FAM, Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin, menggesa ibu bapa etnik Cina untuk menjadikan bola sepak sebagai satu opsyen kerjaya anak-anak mereka.
Dengan menjadikan Tan Cheng Hoe, Datuk Ong Kim Swee dan Chiew Chun Yong sebagai antara contoh individu berbangsa Cina yang menikmati kerjaya dalam bola sepak tempatan, Datuk Haji Hamidin menegaskan bola sepak bukan milik satu-satu kaum, bahkan ia bersifat sejagat.
“Bola sepak bukan sekadar permainan rekreasi tetapi bagi mereka yang benar-benar berkebolehan, anda boleh menjadi pemain kebangsaan, bersaing di peringkat serantau, Asia dan satu hari nanti di pentas dunia.
“Anda juga boleh mencuba nasib sebagai jurulatih, pentadbir, instruktur atau pengadil sama ada separuh masa atau sepenuh masa.
“FAM serius mahu kembali meluaskan bola sepak ke semua lapisan masyarakat. Jelas terbukti bola sepak sebagai ejen paling ampuh untuk penyatuan dan perpaduan serta membina negara. ini dapat kita lihat menerusi pasukan kebangsaan pada era 1950-an, 60-an, 70-an dan 80-an serta 90-an.
“Dengan kerjasama ibu bapa dan seluruh masyarakat Cina dan bukan Melayu amnya, mari kita kembalikan senario gemilang itu.
“Kuncinya di tangan anda. FAM hanya sebagai pemudahcara,” katanya.
Datuk Haji Hamidin menerusi teks ucapan yang dibacakan oleh Exco FAM, ACP (B) Md Dali Wahid pada penutup program itu yang membabitkan hampir 200 murid berusia di antara 6 dan 12 tahun serta 22 jurulatih akar umbi dari enam sekolah sekitar Petaling Jaya dan Puchong.
Hari Akar Umbi Bola Sepak Cina itu susulan kepada kejayaan kursus kejurulatihan akar umbi FAM anjuran Persatuan Bolasepak Cina Malaysia (MCFA) Oktober lalu.
Program berkenaan adalah sebahagian daripada inisiatif FAM untuk memastikan bola sepak merentas sempadan bangsa dan agama.
Tambah Datuk Haji Hamidin:
“FAM mulakan dengan sekolah ini sebagai usaha berterusan menggalakkan penyertaan lebih ramai kanak-kanak dari semua bangsa bermain bola sepak.
“Selain mendekat murid di sekolah jenis kebangsaan, FAM akan bekerjasama dengan kelab-kelab persendirian dan swasta yang disertai ramai pemain dari pelbagai bangsa.
“FAM mahu menimbulkan kesedaran dalam kalangan ibu bapa khususnya masyarakat etnik Cina bahawa bola sepak boleh memberi jaminan masa depan anak-anak mereka.
“Tanpa etika kerja, kebijaksanaan dan kerajinan pemain berketurunan Cina dalam industri bola sepak tempatan, negara mengalami kerugian.
“Ada satu kekosongan yang FAM tidak isi. ada dimensi berbeza yang dahulunya mewarnai pasukan kebangsaan tidak lagi menjadi senjata. Saya percaya inilah komponen yang hilang yang harus dikembalikan.”
Program akar umbi itu membabitkan enam sekolah iaitu SJK (C) Lai Meng, Bukit Jalil, SJK (C) Yuk Chai, Petaling Jaya, SJK (C) Yak Chee, Puchong, SJK (C) Han Ming, Puchong, SJK (C) La Salle, Kuala Lumpur dan SJK (C) Yoke Nam, Kuala Lumpur.
Turut hadir Presiden Persatuan Bolasepak Cina Malaysia (MCFA), Dato' Jeffery Low Han Chau yang juga Exco FAM, jurulatih kebangsaan, Tan Cheng Hoe, jurulatih Bawah 22 tahun, Datuk Ong Kim Swee dan pemain kebangsaan, Dominic Tan.
Cheng Hoe menegaskan beliau memilih pemain berasaskan merit tanpa mengira latar belakang dan warna kulit.
“Saya mahukan pemain terbaik tanpa mengira latar belakang dia dan saya akan pilih selagi dia berhak bermain.
“Industri bola sepak ini juga besar dan mana-mana individu boleh memasang impian untuk sama ada bermain atau menjadi pentadbir, pengadil atau pegawai,” kata Cheng Hoe.
Bagi Kim Swee, bola sepak profesional menawarkan peluang kepada individu untuk mengubah hidup di dalam dan luar padang.
“Bola sepak akan mengubah individu menjadi lebih baik, sama ada dia bermain secara profesional atau tidak,” kata Kim Swee.
Menelusuri sejarah sumbangan kaum Cina dalam bola sepak tempatan, Datuk Haji Hamidin menyenaraikan beberapa nama yang meninggalkan legasi dalam meletakkan asas-asas kejayaan kepada bola sepak tempatan.
Beliau menamakan antara lain Datuk Kwok Kin Keng yang berkhidmat hampir tiga dekad selaku setiausaha FAM, mendiang Lim Kee Siong yang menjadi individu pertama Malaysia dilantik selaku ahli jawatankuasa eksekutif FIFA serta Choo Seng Quee yang menjadi jurulatih pertama bergaji untuk Persekutuan Tanah Melayu sebagai antara tokoh berbangsa Cina yang cukup berjasa kepada negara.
Dalam kalangan pemain, setelah Datuk Soh Chin Aun, Wong Kam Fook, Lim Fung Kee, Wong Choon Wah dan Looi Loon Teck beraksi di Sukan Olimpik 1972, disusuli Chin Aun dan James Wong yang menganggotai skuad 1980, skuad bimbingan Chow Kwai Lam yang digelar Barcelona Babes pada 1991-1992 menampilkan antara lain Kim Swee, Yap Wai Loon, Chong Kim Boon dan Lee Thean Ewe.
Malangnya statistik pada tahun 2000 menunjukkan bahawa peratusan pemain berketurunan Cina merosot mendadak, apabila hanya ada 0.7 peratus atau dua sahaja pemain Cina daripada 292 pemain berdaftar dengan akademi seluruh negara di bawah pemantauan FAM.
Datuk Haji Hamidin turut memuji MCFA yang giat menganjurkan banyak kejohanan bertujuan menyemarakkan minat terhadap bola sepak.
“Matlamat utama FAM tentu sekali membariskan anak-anak Malaysia yang memberi gambaran sebenar masyakarat majmuk kebanggaan negara,” katanya.
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MEDIA RELEASE: FAM URGES THE CHINESE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THE GAME
2019-11-16
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) today has called upon the Chinese community to boost their participation in the local game in order to add a different dimension to the existing football landscape.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the FAM Chinese Football Grassroots Day held at SJK (C) Lai Meng in Bukit Jalil, here today, FAM president Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin urged Chinese parents to make football a career option for their children.
Citing Tan Cheng Hoe, Datuk Ong Kim Swee and Chiew Chun Yong as examples of Chinese individuals enjoying a career in local football, Datuk Haji Hamidin said with the universal appeal of the game, it should not be seen as a sport predominantly played by one race.
“Football is not just a recreational game. For those who possess the talent, they can become a national player, compete at regional, Asian level and someday on the world stage.
“Football offers you a career path that you may want to consider, either as a coach, administrator, instructor or referee, on a full-time or part-time basis.
“FAM is serious in promoting the game to all walks of life. Football has proven to be the most powerful agent for unity and nation-building, reflected by the national team in 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
"Let us revive the glorious days, with the co-operation of the Chinese community and the non-Malays in general.
“The key is in your hands. FAM is just the facilitator,” said Datuk Haji Hamidin through his speech read by FAM Exco, ACP (B) Md Dali Wahid.
Almost 200 students between the ages of 6 and 12 in addition to 22 grassroots coaches from six schools around Petaling Jaya and Puchong, were involved in the programme.
The FAM Chinese Football Grassroots Day came close on the heels of the FAM grassroots coaching course organized by the Malaysian Chinese Football Association (MCFA) in October.
The programme is part of FAM's initiatives to ensure football is promoted across all races.
“FAM kicks off with this program in our continuous effort to encourage more children to play football.
“On top of working with children from national schools, FAM also wishes to work closely with private clubs and academies nationwide to break down racial barriers.
“We want to create the awareness that football can offer a future to our children.
“The country loses out on the work ethics and guile of Chinese players in the local football industry.
"At present, there is a missing component in our national team, which is the guile offered by Chinese players. This is what we need to revive," he said.
The grassroots programme featured six schools namely SJK (C) Lai Meng, Bukit Jalil, SJK (C) Yuk Chai, Petaling Jaya, SJK (C) Yak Chee, Puchong, SJK (C) Han Ming, Puchong, SJK (C) La Salle, Kuala Lumpur and SJK (C) Yoke Nam, Kuala Lumpur.
Also present were the Malaysian Chinese Football Association President (MCFA), Dato' Jeffery Low Han Chau; national coach, Tan Cheng Hoe; national Under 22 coach, Datuk Ong Kim Swee and national player, Dominic Tan.
Cheng Hoe said as a coach, he picks his players on merit regardless of race and background.
“I want to field the best players and as long as he meets all the criteria, he will be picked.
“And the football industry is big that it offers an individual the option of becoming a player, administrator, referee or official,” said Cheng Hoe.
For Kim Swee, professional football provides the chance for a player to better themselves on and off the pitch.
“Football will educate you as a person, whether you play professionally or not,” said Kim Swee.
In tracing the contribution of the Chinese community to local football, Datuk Haji Hamidin gave honourable mentions to a select few who left a legacy in laying the foundations to our success.
Datuk Haji Hamidin named among others, Datuk Kwok Kin Keng who served nearly three decades as the secretary of FAM, Lim Kee Siong who became the first Malaysian to be appointed as a member of FIFA executive committee and Choo Seng Quee who became the first salaried coach in the Federation of Malaya.
Among the players, Datuk Soh Chin Aun, Wong Kam Fook, Lim Fung Kee, Wong Choon Wah and Looi Loon Teck featured in the 1972 Munich Olympics, while Chin Aun and James Wong were members of the 1980 squad.
Then came Chow Kwai Lam’s squad, known as the Barcelona Babes in 1991-1992 which featured Kim Swee, Yap Wai Loon, Chong Kim Boon and Lee Thean Ewe, to name a few.
Unfortunately, statistics in 2000 showed the percentage of Chinese players dropped sharply, with only 0.7 percent or two Chinese players out of the 292 players registered in all academies under the FAM auspices, nationwide.
Despite the dip in numbers, Datuk Haji Hamidin expressed his gratitude to MCFA for continuously organising tournaments to attract the Chinese community to play the game.
"Ultimately, FAM’s main objective is to form a national team that is made up of the various races in the country to reflect a multi-racial set-up,” said Datuk Haji Hamidin.