KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Malaysia turns 50 today.
If you didn’t know that already, please proceed to the nearest petrol kiosk and douse yourself in RON 97 – the preferred choice. Apparently it burns quicker – and set yourself on fire. How dare you call yourself a Malaysian?
To say that I am qualified to write about Malaysia and how it has progressed over the years would be lunacy. I am but a mere 33 years of age. I claim no knowledge of Malaysia in the 60s and 70s other than that obtained from books and publications.
I wouldn’t dare pretend to know how Malaysia was back in the day. Heck, I don’t think I have accumulated enough years to even use the phrase “back in the day”.
I can, however, speak of Malaysia as a Malaysian; more so, a sportsman.
A third of my life was spent running around the field chasing after a tiny white ball along with 21 other men. From the age of 16 till 27, I trained with some of the best coaches in the country for hours on end, to be the best I could possibly be… at chasing balls.
While my mates studied hard to achieve good academic results and subsequently land their dream jobs, I was busy running after a spherical plastic article, stick in hand, against other grown men.
Strangely enough, I believe hockey mirrors life in its entirety. Every instance on the field provides us a lesson in life, if viewed in the proper context.
I also believe the national hockey team represents the country at the very stage it is in right now. I do not have statistics to back my claim. My words are not factual. They are merely the opinion of a retired sportsman who still has movie star good looks and a physique to match (think: Jack Black!).
I walked into the national team 17 years ago, fresh-faced and as excited as a squirrel in a Ngan Yin factory. My coach then was Volker Knapp. I spent the first week at training camp learning to pronounce his name. The rest of the time I spent trying to adapt to a new system of play he introduced. It was very trying.
I strongly disagreed with the system implemented and the mentality being inculcated into the players. Still, I trudged along. I was certain Volker did what he did because he felt this was the best way forward. With such faith in place, I went along and did my best to adapt to a system I completely did not believe in.
Soon after he left, numerous other coaches took the helm. While results and concepts varied, players stood by decisions made by the coach, with the relentless hope that one day we would be ranked amongst the best teams in the world.
Some of us stayed on to realise that dream. A handful left to pursue new challenges and dream a new dream. Some disagreed with the management and left. Some disagreed with the same management but stayed. Quite a few were asked to leave because they no longer had the drive and tenacity required to fight the battle. Some just became old and lousy… really lousy.
There were changes aplenty, but the team in essence was always there. The players painstakingly slogged the days away to achieve what was perceived to be unattainable – to be the best in the world.
Externally, and within the fraternity, we were criticised, more so after a match was lost. At times, we asked ourselves why were we doing all of this? It was the faith in our leader and the belief in our vision that pulled us through these tribulations. We also had free accommodation, three square meals a day and countless supply of hockey gear. But mainly, it was the faith…thing.
I look at the current Malaysian hockey team and I see a group of young men led by a young coach and deputy, battling daily on and off the field to see a dream, envisioned many moons ago, come to fruition. The team has progressed into a solid unit. In my view, the coaches have done an excellent job in paving a clear and concise path towards the overall vision. It entails a lot of hard work and dedication. Nothing extremely complicated. We’re still far from our goal but definitely in the right direction.
Critics still hover around the team, pointing out where they went wrong and what they should be doing. Supporters back the team for better or worse, though some have hopped over to the critics’ camp for whatever reason. In short, there is tangible progress but not everyone appreciates this. All anyone can do is steer clear of distractions and remain focused on the goal, however daunting said task may be.
Malaysia, in a nutshell, is her hockey team. She is young, multi-racial, competitive and capable. Her people are talented and industrious. Her leaders are tenacious and savvy and over the 50 years of her being, much progress has been experienced.
Just like the players in the team, some have left the country to pursue new dreams in new lands. Some, despite their resistance to the current state of affairs, chose to remain here, steadfast in their belief that change looms.
Critics question policies. Naysayers belittle every effort implemented by the government. Not everyone is in appreciation of what the country provides. Still the vision remains, and the people elected to be in positions of power or change must be entrusted whole-heartedly to lead us towards a better tomorrow.
I love this country to bits. Malaysia is beautiful and I am forever thankful to be her son. I will celebrate her birthday the same way I celebrate her birthday every year. There is a beautiful church along Jalan Gasing called the St. Francis Xavier.
I will be a few doors away from that church in a bar, sipping whisky and celebrating Malaysia day with good friends.
Logan Raj was a former hockey international.
