DAP, Umno leaders condemn dropping of sepak takraw

GEORGE TOWN: Sepak takraw – the national sport of Malaysia – has found an unlikely pairing when both DAP and Umno came together to protest against the dropping of the game as a core sport under the Youth and Sports Ministry.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is the Penang Chief Minister together with the National Sepak Takraw Association president Datuk Ahmad Ismail, the Bukit Bendera Umno division head, have spoken out against the decision.
And on Thursday, both joined forces to condemn the expulsion of the sport from the national core sports list, describing the decision as harsh.
Besides weightlifting and taekwondo, sepak takraw was dropped from the list, including for the Malaysian Games (Sukma) edition later next year.
The news was announced by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who cited the decline in performance and internal squabbles within their respective associations as among the main reasons.
But to this, Lim said that sepak takraw was a national sport, and Malaysia's own.
It should not be treated in such a manner, especially if it is a heritage sport, said Lim, who earlier donated RM20,000 as an incentive to the Penang sepak takraw team, who won the National Sepak Takraw League Championship this year.
Ahmad said that the sport actually originated from Penang before it gained prominence to be adopted as a national sport.
"If you look at the world sporting map, look all over and when you come across a tick, it says sepak takraw and Malaysia. We are synonymous with the sport."
Ahmad disagreed with the National Sports Council's decision on the sport, urging them to review the decision as it is, after all, the country's national sport.
Their views were also seconded by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Abdul Rashid Hasnon and PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail; both PKR leaders, who also voiced their displeasure over the matter.
NSC has a point to prove though, as the national team has performed below expectations in the past decade, often losing out to Myanmar and arch-rivals Thailand, who have now become the undisputed champion of the rattan ball.
In this year's Kuala Lumpur 29th edition SEA Games, the national team was thrashed by Thailand on home ground, having to settle for a joint bronze medal with Brunei Darussalam.
While the sport has grown in popularity the world over with Russia also having a play at it, the fortunes back home in Malaysia has nosedived.