OCM Weekly Highlight - 16 January 2011

OCM Weekly Highlights

16th January 2011

OCM Official Website: www.olympic.org.my

Coming Events

Le Tour de Langkawi 2011 – 23rd January to 1st February 2011.

19th OCM Executive Board Meeting – 25th January 2011 at 4.30 p.m. at OCM Boardroom, 1st Floor, Wisma OCM.

14th National Olympic Academy Session for Young Sports Leaders 2011 – 25th to 30th January 2011 at Wisma OCM, Kuala Lumpur.

V Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship 2011 – 19th to 26th February 2011 at Sunway Megalanes, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS 2010/2011

7th Asian Winter Games 2011, Astana-Almaty, Kazakhstan – 30th January to 6th February 2011

4th Commonwealth Youth Games 2011 – 7th to 13th September 2011, Isle of Man.

26th SEA Games 2011 – 11th to 25th November 2011 at Pelembang and Jakarta, Indonesia.

News Items

Congratulations

The Office Bearers and members of the Olympic Council of Malaysia wish to congratulate the Y.Bhg. Dato’ Sarjit Singh Banta Singh who was conferred the Darjah Setia Bakti Negeri Sembilan (DBNS) in conjunction with the 63rd birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir on 14th January 2011.

Y.Bhg. Dato’ Sarjit Singh Banta Singh is a former senior officer of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, having served at both State and Federal level. On his retirement from government service, he was the CEO of the Malaysian Hoteliers Association (MHA). He is now a consultant of the Taylor’s University School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts. He was the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Leisure and Recreation Association (MARFIMA), Vice President of Asiania Sport for All Association (ASFAA),and has been and still is actively involved with the Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA) and the Malaysian Association for Physical Education, Sports Science and Fitness.

18th OCM Annual Dinner and Awards Night

The 18th OCM Annual Dinner and Awards Night was successfully organised on 14th January 2011 at the OCM Indoor Sports Arena, Kuala Lumpur. The Guest of Honour was YB Dato’ Sri Ahmad Sharbery Cheek, Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia. Other VIPs were Mr. Antonio Del Rosario, General Manager, Malaysia-Singapore- Brunei Region, The Coca Cola Company, Mr. Agustinus Gunadharama, Head of Commercial Operastions, The Coca-Cola Company, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Zolkples Embong, Director General, National Sports Council, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Dr. Ramlan Abd. Aziz, Director General, Institute of Sports Malaysia, Y.Bhg. Mohd Yasin Mohd Salleh, Sports Commissioner Malaysia and others.

For the first time since its inauguration in 1993, the 18th OCM Annual Dinner and Awards Night was telecast live through the sponsorship of Malaysia’s very own 24/7 Sports Channel, Astro Arena on Channel 801. Since 1993, Coca-Cola has been the title sponsor of the OCM – Coca-Cola Olympians of the Year Awards, one for the most outstanding male athlete and one for the most outstanding female athlete of either the SEA Games (during odd years), or the Olympic Games (during a leap year) or the Asian and Commonwealth Games (during an even non-leap year). The reason for selecting the above four important multi-sports Games for the Olympians of the Year Awards, is not to duplicate National Sportsman/Sportswoman Awards and also because the above four Games are directly under the jurisdiction of the Olympic Council of Malaysia.

In his welcome address, YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, President of OCM stated that the OCM Annual Dinner is an annual gathering of the OCM family, comprising OCM Office Bearers, staff, the NSAs and present and retired national athletes, OCM’s sponsors and partners, such as MSN, ISN, KBS, Coca-Cola, MSSM, etc., OCM’s volunteers, friends and supporters, to celebrate the success of the past year, to recognise the outstanding athletes (present and past) and officials and to show our appreciations to our sponsors and partners that their support have been put to good use by OCM, for the development of sports in Malaysia.

The President congratulated the Malaysian Contingents for their outstanding achievements at the Singapore 1st Youth Olympic Games, the Delhi XIX Commonwealth Games, the Guangzhou 16th Asian Games and the Muscat 2nd Asian Beach Games. He briefly touched on the main activities of OCM in 2010 and on the many training courses and programmes of OCM, under Olympic Solidarity and the Olympic Council of Asia, which have resulted in better trained sports officials and coaches carrying out sports development programmes.

The 2010 IOC Trophy “Inspiring Young People” was awarded to the Sports Division of the Ministry of Education for initiating the 1Student 1Sport Programme to inspire, to encourage and to motivate every school children to participate in at least one sport in school. The Schools Sports Council also successfully organized the 2nd ASEAN Schools Games in Kuala Lumpur from 13th to 19th July 2010. Madam Ee Ong, Director of the Sports Division, Ministry of Education, received the IOC Trophy from YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, the IOC Member in Malaysia.

The following past officials and national athletes were inducted to the OCM Hall of Fame:

• Encik Mike Shepherdson – Double International in Cricket and Hockey. Represented Malaya at the 1956 Olympic Games, the Tokyo 1958 Asian Games and the Jakarta 1962 Asian Games, where he won a bronze medal.
• The late Mr. Herman de Souza – Founding member of the Federation of Malaya Olympic Council and Vice President from 1954 to 1957. Chef de Mission of the Malayan Contingent to the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games. President of Malayan Hockey Federation 1953 to 1957. Represented Malaya in Hockey in the 1930’s and also Captain of the Malayan Team of Hong Kong/Macau Tour.
• The late Edmond Yong – Double International having represented Malaysia is Shooting and Tennis. Won bronze medal in Skeet Team at the 1974 Asian Games. He was an expert on the rules of Golf and was a highly respected international Golf official. He was a highly respected international Golf official having officiated in the British Open and the US Masters. He was the Secretary General of the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) from 1965 to 1986. He was a Council Member and Legal Advisor of the Selangor Shooting Association and the National Shooting Association of Malaysia.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement and presentation of the Olympian of the Year 2010 for the male category and for the female category. Y.Bhg. Dato’ Nicol Ann David of Squash won the Olympian of the Year 2010 in the female category and Mr. R. Puvaneswaran of Karate won the Olympian of the Year 2010 in the male category. The above winners each received RM10,000/= cash plus a medal. Y.B. Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia presented the Awards to Mr. R. Puvaneswaran, while Mr. Peter Chee, Team Manager of the Squash team to Guangzhou 16th Asian Games received the Award on behalf of Y.Bhg. Dato’ Nicol Ann David.

CGA Malaysia – 100Plus Outstanding Athletes of the Delhi XIX Commonwealth Games Awards

The CGA Malaysia – 100Plus Outstanding Athletes of the Delhi XIX Commonwealth Games Awards was presented to the winners on 13th January 2011 at 3.00 p.m. at OM Sports Museum, Wisma OCM Phase II. The Theme of the Awards was in accordance with the 100Plus Theme of “Out Do Yourself”. In his welcome address, YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, stated that the Commonwealth Games is separate and independent from the IOC and as such, sponsors of the Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia could use its Logo, which does not have the Olympic Rings, without infringing any of the propriety rights of the IOC. He welcomed 100Plus as the first sponsor of the Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia.

Dato’ Sieh Kok Chi, Honorary Secretary of OCM stated that based on the Theme of “Out Do Yourself”, the winners, Pandelela Rinong, Elaine Koon, Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim and Koo Kien Keat of the CGA Malaysia –100Plus Outstanding Athletes of the Delhi XIX Commonwealth Games Awards all went beyond what was expected of them at the Delhi XIX Commonwealth Games. He stated that Pandelela Rinong became the first woman diver to win a gold medal in Diving at a Commonwealth Games, while Elaine Koon was targeted to win a bronze medal, not only won 2 bronze medals, but also won a gold medal and a silver medal. In the case of Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim, who won the gold medal in Weightlifting at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, made a remarkable come-back to win the gold medal in the same event 8 years later in Delhi. As for Koo Kien Keat, not only was he successful in defending his Badminton Doubles and the Team gold medal he won at Melbourne, but he also won the Mixed Doubles gold medal for Malaysia, the first time at a Commonwealth Games.

YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia and Senior Vice President of the CGF presented the Mock cheques to the winners.

Flag Handing Ceremony to the Malaysian Contingent of the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011

Malaysia will be participating in the Astana/Almaty 7th Asian Winter Games 2011 with an Ice Hockey team of 20 players and three Figure Skaters (the fourth Figure Skater was reported to have withdrawn due to illness). This would be the second time, Malaysia is participating in an Asian Winter Games, the first being at the Changchun 6th Asian Winter Games 2007, where the Malaysian Ice Hockey team finished 8th out of 12 teams.

In the morning of 15th January 2011, at Sunway Pyramid Ice Skating Rink, a simple yet meaningful ceremony was organized for Y.B. Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia to hand the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysia’s National Flag) to Y.Bhg. Dato’ Lee Hwa Beng, the Chef de Mission of the Malaysian Contingent and also President of the Malaysian Ice Hockey Federation (MIHF). Present were YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran ibni Al Marhum Tuanku Ja’afar, President of OCM, Y.Bhg. Datin Laila Abdullah, President of the Ice Skating Association of Malaysia (ISAM), Y.Bhg. Dato’ Zolklpes Embong, Director General of the National Sports Council and Ms. Susan Loh, Team Manager of the Ice Hockey Team.

In his welcome address, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Lee Hwa Bang thanked YB Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia for presenting the Jalur Gemilang and pledged the Malaysian Contingent would do its best to bring glory to Malaysia. YAM Tunku Tan YAM Tunku Tan Sri Imran ibni Al Marhum Tuanku Ja’afar, President of OCM, congratulated the members of the Malaysian Contingent for their hard work not only in preparing for the 7th Asian Winter Games, but also raising funds to participate in the Games. He thanked the Olympic Council of Asia for introducing a 2 tier tournament for Ice Hockey, where the leading Ice Hockey playing countries of Kazakhstan, China, DPR Korea, Japan and the Republic of Korea compete against each other while the rest of the Asian countries who are still developing Ice Hockey compete among themselves.

Y.B. Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia also congratulated the members of the Malaysian Contingent and wished them success at the 7th Asian Winter Games. He acknowledged the fact that due to lack of an Olympic size Ice Skating Rink, the Malaysian Ice Hockey players and the Figure Skaters faced difficulties training. He promised that if the Ice Hockey team and the Figure Skaters could achieve good results at the 7th Asian Winter Games, the Government would consider building an Olympic size Ice Skating facilities for the development of winter sports in Malaysia.

14th National Olympic Academy Session for Young Sports Leaders 2011

The 14th National Olympic Academy Session for Young Sports Leaders, organised by the National Olympic Academy of Malaysia will be held from 25th to 30th January 2011 at Wisma OCM, Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur. Affiliates of OCM are requested to nominate their representatives, to attend the above Session. The best Malaysian male and female participant will be selected to represent Majlis Olimpik Malaysia to attend the International Olympic Academy Session to be held in Olympia, Greece, in June/July 2011. All members of OCM are encouraged to nominate candidates to attend the 14th National Olympic Academy Session for Young Sports Leaders 2011.