Sarawak is just like any of the other states in Malaysia, trying hard to send their champions to BAM but sadly that isn't the case. Parents work hard, sending their kids to school, tuition centres and training centres not realizing what this state association of sarawak or SBA is doing behind. Running it like playing black jack in a casino and bluffing them the training centre will soon be a totally new world class with gym, hostel and pro shop. In fact SBA is in the midst of finalizing the sale of their land! Not knowing how to run or manage it is one thing but with an agenda is totally a wrong thing and what baffles me is why nobody dare to expose them. For the last 3 years (2012-2014), SBA hosted the BWF Malaysian Challenge in Kuching and every year they lost money. Is no secret the amount of losses is more than a quarter million ringgit! Yes, they lost money and they keep hosting it! What's more interesting is they are going to host a new tournament, BWF Malaysian Master in january 2015! Today the Sarawak Borneo Post released this: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/12/10/sba-shocker-100plus-minus-sarawak/ SBA shocker – 100PLUS minus Sarawak Posted on December 10, 2014, Wednesday U12, U15 shuttlers to miss national age-group c’ships File photo of winners of the second leg of the Sarawak Junior Closed tournament held in Kuching in September. All were hoping to represent Sarawak in the 100PLUS National Junior Inter-State U12 and U15 Championships to be held in Alor Setar, Kedah from Dec 16-20.KUCHING: The 100PLUS National Junior Inter-State Team Under-12 and Under-15 Badminton Championships 2014 will be held in Alor Setar, Kedah from Dec 16-20. The tournament, organised by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), brings together the country’s top shuttlers in the youngest age groups to battle for honours for their respective states. Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) have never failed to send the state teams in the tournament’s history. But it is different this year. In an unprecedented development, the state junior players will not be competing this time. According to reliable sources, hopeful junior players, their parents and coaches are reportedly in a state of shock. Their main grievance is that the players have been training for the tournament for months. Two state-level tournaments were actually held this year to serve as platforms to prepare and select players to represent the state. The players had first taken part in the first leg of the Sarawak Junior Closed in March this year. Then in September, over 200 U12 and U15 boys and girls competed in the second leg also held at the SBA Hall, Kuching. They represented 17 training centres and clubs all over the state. Many had travelled from Miri, Sibu, Bintangor and Lawas. In previous years, semi-finalists in the state-level tournament stand a good chance to be selected to represent Sarawak at this national age-group team championships. At press time, it is also known that SBA have not officially updated prospective state players – most of whom have intensified their training since September – and their training centres or clubs of the status of Sarawak’s participation. The Borneo Post have confirmed that Sarawak is the only state in the country which has not entered for the national championships. All other 13 BAM state affiliates – Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Sabah, Selangor and Terengganu – and associate affiliate Putrajaya have confirmed their participation." What's going on is anybody's guess, why would an association failed to send players to a be very important tournament. Is it because of fund? Nope, I don't think so. All cost of tournaments are funded by Badminton Association of Malaysia, BAM. Even operating expenses are covered by BAM: 1. RM3,000 per month utility support including executive secretary salary. 2. RM6,500 for one foreign coach and one foreign assistant coach. 3. RM1,000 per month hon. secretary allowance. Beside, SBA has a consistent monthly revenue from rental of the six courts, something around RM6,-7,000 a month. So, is this the way to run an association?
Interesting and puzzling. My guess is internal politics Clearly, SBA is not putting the interest of the players first. Can players enter the tournament without going through SBA? I'm from Kuching and it's sad to see that badminton there is not been encouraged like other States in Malaysia.
No way for that. BAM only accept entries through the state associations. I have send an email to the BAM general manager, Kenny Ng today and I hope he reads it and put up in the next meeting. We shall see what happens.
What’s going on, SBA? Posted on December 11, 2014, Thursday File photo of Sarawak players with SBA officials before the team left for this year’s Sukma in May. SBA failed to achieve its already modest target of one medal. In fact, Sarawak have not won any medal in badminton since the 2008 Sukma. KUCHING: Following yesterday’s story (‘SBA Shocker – 100PLUS minus Sarawak’) on the state team missing out on next week’s national age-group championships, criticism of the Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) have widened to other issues. The Borneo Post reported yesterday that SBA had taken the unprecedented step not to register for the 100PLUS National Inter-State Team U-12 and U15 Championships. To date, there remains no official word from the SBA to the players, their parents or clubs concerning the decision and the reason behind it. Not only was there no attempt to inform the interested parties. One such party told The Borneo Post that they could have tried to raise funds or self-finance the expenses so that their young charges could get the chance to compete in Alor Setar from Dec 16-20. That is if the SBA bothered to inform them and, better still, informed them earlier. Other questions have been raised concerning SBA’s modus operandi. It has been reported that there is a team representing Sarawak which is currently in Labuan for the badminton competition of the 8th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games. But there are state players and their coaches who wonder why they have no knowledge of any criteria or trials held to select a proper state team? Paradoxically, another contingent of about 20 players and coaches from Kuching, Sibu and Miri are currently in Kota Kinabalu to compete in the Sabah Open. They went on their own initiative and are paying out of their own pockets. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that Sarawak’s performance in badminton has been sliding in recent years. At the senior level, the state team have returned without a medal from the last four editions of Sukma in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Sarawak age-group players (U12, U14, U16 & U18) clash with their Sabah counterparts every year in the zonal leg of the National Age-Group Circuit. In 2012, Sarawak youngsters took 10 titles to Sabah’s 6. Last year, Sabah closed the gap to win 7 to Sarawak’s 9. This year, Sabah players smashed their way to 13 titles leaving their neighbour with only 3. Meanwhile, SBA are occupied with hosting the upcoming Yonex-Sunrise Malaysia Grand Prix Gold to be held in Kuching from Jan 13-18 next year. Last month, the association hosted the Maybank Kuching International Challenge. No Sarawak player qualify to play in both international tournaments. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/12/11/whats-going-on-sba/#ixzz3LYlfk3Z9
Sarawak Badminton Association secretary calls for dialogue to resolve grouses Posted on December 12, 2014, Friday KUCHING: Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) secretary Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir expressed disappointment that coaches and parents of players did not consult him before commenting on the performance of the association. He said they should have approached him to find out the real situation SBA was facing before going to the media to voice out their frustration. Speaking to The Borneo Post yesterday Hadi said while it was true the state would not be competing in the national age-group competition next week, the players and coaches should understand the pressing financial problem SBA was facing. He pointed out that SBA had to prioritise the events it is organising to fit its financial resources. He said the Maybank International Challenge it organised last month here was to bring international level competition to the state to expose local players to higher level tournaments. However, Hadi was disappointed by the poor response from the public and lack of support from some authorities for the tournament. Despite the setback, he said SBA would not be deterred from holding high level national or international events in the state. “Our next high level tournament is the Yonex Sunrise Malaysia Grand Prix Gold next January,” he said. On criticism that SBA had failed to produce champions of note for quite some time, he pointed out that exceptional players only come along once in a while. “We cannot produce a Lee Chong Wei every year. “Even China had gone through such spells.” Hadi also questioned the achievement of clubs which took some promising junior players under their wings. “These players were champions in the age-group but why have they not reached their full potential under their training?” Expressing frustration over the thankless job he had to shoulder Hadi said he sometimes thought of stepping down but he still had several targets he wanted to achieve for the state. Appealing for better dialogue with coaches and players Hadi said he was willing to meet them and discuss ways to improve the situation. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/1...or-dialogue-to-resolve-grouses/#ixzz3LjlCFNfp
Dear SBA – Let’s talk as soon as possible’ Posted on December 20, 2014, Saturday KUCHING: Coaches and parents of affected U12 and U15 players have welcomed the call by Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) for a dialogue. But frustrations over how the association has conducted itself remain unabated. In the past few days, The Borneo Post have continued to receive calls and messages from disgruntled coaches and parents. Last week, The Borneo Post had carried two stories which revealed the shock and anger over the SBA’s decision not to enter state players in the two youngest age-groups for the 100PLUS national inter-state championship. The five-day tournament in Alor Setar, Kedah ends today. Sarawak is the only state among the 13 state affiliates of the Badminton Association of Malaysia which is not competing. It is also the first time that SBA has not registered to take part in the tournament. Coaches and parents of affected players, who communicated with The Borneo Post, are also dismayed that SBA made no effort to inform them of its decision. In fact, the players had intensified training in recent weeks until news broke about Sarawak’s non-participation after anxious parties checked the tournament website. Last Thursday, SBA broke its silence when its secretary Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir called for a dialogue. Online comments to these reports have condemned SBA for alleged shortcomings ranging from letting down young promising talents, its obsession with organising major international tournaments in Kuching and financial discipline. Abdul Hadi himself has since admitted that SBA faces pressing financial constraints. One source disclosed that a Miri team of coaches and parents is keen to attend the proposed dialogue. Two Kuching-based coaches, saying they have “to answer to the parents of the players”, urged SBA to organise the dialogue as soon as possible this month. One of their players is reportedly quitting the sport in disappointment. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/12/20/dear-sba-lets-talk-as-soon-as-possible/#ixzz3MR40qA4Y
