KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal has been re-elected as president of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) for a third term as nominations closed on Tuesday.
“The nominations closed and the president’s post was unopposed. I received support from 14 affiliates to continue as president for a third term.
“Former vice-president Datuk Najmi Razak has also been elevated to the deputy president’s post with a total of 14 affiliate votes.
“I’m thankful for the trust given by the affiliates, and as president, I’m ready to serve more for the betterment of the sport in our country in the next four years,” Subahan said during a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium today.
Subahan said that a formal announcement would be made during the confederation’s annual general meeting scheduled for November 25.
Meanwhile, Subahan also pledged to work together with the National Hockey Development Program (NHDP) and the National Sports Council (NSC) to make the sport more accessible with the hope of developing young talent.
“Hockey has a rich history in our Malaysian sporting landscape, and it’s sad to witness that the sport is being perceived as an expensive sport.
“With the support of NHDP and NSC, we are planning to reach out to more schools with an aim to promote the sport to the younger generation.
“We are looking at collaborating with schools such as Cochrane High School, La Salle Sentul, and St John’s Institution, as these were once known for producing some of the best hockey talents for our country.
“On top of that, we are planning to reach out to more schools and, God willing, develop and provide them with AstroTurf pitches, so that young players will have the opportunity to play the game regularly instead of worrying about a place to play the sport,” Subahan added.
Subahan’s first foray into the MHC was in 2015 when the former president, the then Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, handed him the baton after he was unanimously elected as the president of the Asian Hockey Federation following the demise of Sultan Azlan Shah in May 2014.
Under Subahan’s leadership, Malaysia won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup last year and finished third in the 2019 edition.
The Speedy Tigers also finished as runners-up in the Asian Champions Trophy in August.
The Speedy Tigers are currently ranked 12th in the world rankings with 1881.87 points. – November 17, 2023