KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is hopeful that all Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) clubs will follow Maybank’s lead in allowing players to represent the national team when it matters most.
The governing body’s response follows Maybank’s decision to release seven of their key players, despite being in the midst of the MHL season, to compete in the upcoming Indoor Hockey World Cup in Porec, Croatia, from February 3-9.
The seven Maybank players selected for the World Cup are Najmi Farizal Jazlan, Aslam Hanafiah, Abdul Khaliq Hamirin, Meor Azuan Hassan, Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi, Izham Azhar, and Ashran Hamsani.
Speaking to Scoop, MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal expressed gratitude for the sacrifice made by Maybank, recognising the significant effort and investment the club has made to compete in this year’s MHL.
“Maybank has been in the league for many years and is a consistently competitive club, always delivering strong performances in the MHL.
“For them to release their best players to compete for the national indoor team is something we must appreciate, especially given the effort they have put into assembling their team for this year’s MHL.
“Had they wanted to, they could have chosen not to release their key players, but they chose not to because of their ambitions to elevate the country’s standards on the international stage. This shows that they care more about the nation’s reputation than their own ambitions in this year’s MHL.
“Maybank serves as a role model for all other clubs in the league. They should allow their players to represent the national team when called upon, especially for prestigious international competitions. I hope other clubs will follow the example set by Maybank,” said Subahan when contacted.
Head coach Iman Gobinathan will now have to manage his players’ fitness upon their return from Croatia, as Maybank resumes their MHL campaign with a fixture against TNB Thunderbolts on February 13.
Maybank currently sits in second place with 12 points from six matches, trailing leaders Terengganu (18 points). Tenaga Nasional is close behind in third with nine points.
The team has suffered two losses so far, to Terengganu (1-2) and UITM (1-3). — January 27, 2025