SEA Games debacle is NSC’s responsibility, not minister, says Hamidin

 

Hamidin Amin laid the blame for Malaysia’s poor performance at the SEA Games in Cambodia firmly at the feet of the National Sports Council. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Stop blaming youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh for Malaysia’s failure at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, says Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy president Hamidin Amin.

“She has been working tirelessly until today. We cannot simply blame her because it has only been six months since she was appointed minister.

“Almost every day she met presidents of national sports associations,” Hamidin, who is also Malaysia’s chef-de-mission for the 2024 Paris Olympics, said.

“The National Sports Council (NSC) must take responsibility because it has been in collaboration with the various associations in preparing the athletes (for a longer period of time).

“We will look at the weaknesses that need to be rectified before the 2025 and 2027 SEA Games because the NSC is responsible for handling the funding,” he said.

Malaysia missed its 40-gold medal target in Cambodia, coming home with 34 gold, 45 silver, and 97 bronze medals, finishing in seventh position overall.

This performance was considered Malaysia’s worst performance in the SEA Games since 1995.

In contrast, in the previous SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam last year, Malaysia secured 39 gold medals, finishing in sixth position.

Following the disappointing outcome, some parties have called for Yeoh to apologise for the failure in Cambodia, while others have questioned the statement made by the Segambut MP suggesting that the poor performance may have been influenced by political instability in recent years. - FMT