KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) is hopeful for more funding from the National Sports Council (NSC) following its success in the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup, which was held in Oman.
Under the guidance of coach Wallace Tan, the Malaysian team made history by finishing as silver medalists, succumbing to a 2-5 defeat against the Netherlands in the final last week.
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said that the five-series team has the potential to reach greater heights with additional funding from the government.
He further emphasised that the team would be a boost for the Malaysian contingent in the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, as they have the chance of winning a gold medal there.
“Hockey five series and indoor hockey are going to be the future of the sport, and we are going to give more importance to the categories in the years to come.
“We really appreciate the achievement of the players who competed in the tournament in Oman, as we all witnessed how hard they fought for the country with their hearts and souls.
“With more allocation, I believe the team can reach greater heights by winning more medals for the nation in the years to come.
“We have just found out from the FIH president that hockey five series will be included in the 2025 SEA Games, providing an opportunity for the national team to win six gold medals (men’s and women’s field hockey and five series) through hockey in the SEA Games,” Subahan said during a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium today.
Meanwhile, Subahan said that MHC is in talks with the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) to build a training venue for five series and indoor hockey for its players to prepare for future tournaments.
“All this while, our indoor players have been training at UTC Sentul, while the five series team has been training in Seremban, and we cover their accommodations and transportation costs.
“Hence, we are in touch with KBS, and we will be sending a written request to them so that we can have a proper venue where all our players can gather for competitions.
“The players have a lot of potential, and they also have the ability to one day play for the senior national field hockey teams. So, we need to train them more and provide them with all the necessities so that they can reach their full potential,” Subahan added.
Malaysia qualified for the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup by finishing fourth out of 11 teams with 13 points in the Men’s Asian Hockey5s World Cup qualifiers held in Oman last August.
Prior to their triumphant second-place finish, Malaysia battled with Oman, the United States, and Fiji in Group D. – February 7, 2024