Star, April 25, 2008...Dinner treat for Hong Kong-bound team

Derar Datuk Lee,
I thought that as the Malaysian contingent chief-de-mission it is always fashionable for you to travel abroad with our team? Sports associations and the OCM would invariably like to send a big non-playing contingent overseas every time our sports team participate in any foreign competition. The argument put forth often is that we need them as supporters so that the players/sportsmen or women would receive much morale support and hence be motivated to win the top position. Therefore bring in the chief-de-mission, deputy chief-de-mission, chaperons, masseurs, sports doctors, coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, physio-therapists, managers even "bouncers' and anyone remotely involved in the game/sports. The more the merrier because in the evenings there will be many Malaysians together to celebrate with long bouts of karaoke, drinking, live-shows, watch belly dancing, party and dance and what have you. Moreover they do not have to worry at all because the expenses including "pocket money" would be paid for by tax payers and corporate sponsors. This has always be the tradition and style of Malaysian sports. Just ask Datuk Azalina the immediate past Sports and Youth Minister and her predecessors. Otherwise it is not in line with the "Malaysia Boleh" spirit. By now Azalina is also an expert in cutting ribbons besides being a seasoned traveller on numerous overseas trips at tax payers expense. She was not bothered at all as to how sports associations spend their allocated funds.
After -all "tak ada style bukan Malaysia" She subscribed fully to Nike's "Just Do It" motto.
So, Datuk Lee, why don't you do the same as the rest of the Malaysian sports?
It is all in the Barisan Nasional's "Melawat Sambil Belajar" spirit. Visit public toilets, look at drains, sewage ponds just like what some Selangor City Hall & Town Council members did. Our ice hockey sports officials can emulate by inspection of the toilets and drains and sewage systems of the stadium in Hong Kong.
What say you Datuk Lee regarding your Ice Hockey Association?
Your friend, allmenarebrothers

No public funds were used for the trip.I raised around RM75K and the rest were paid by the boys.3 of the players flew from Sweden,Switzerland and Melbourne on their own expenses.
Finally the team came up 2nd place at this Asian level tournament.I did not go as there was an important MCA meeting.I have to pay myself if I had gone.
You owe the boys and me an apology.
Hwa Beng

Dear Allmenarebrothers,

You owe more than an apology to Datuk Lee, you owe an apology to the entire Malaysian Ice Hockey Team and all those who represent it.

I am their head coach, Patrick MacDonald. I come from Canada and I proudly give up many hours of my time to coach these boys the game of ice hockey which I love so much.

Let me tell you one thing; playing ice hockey in Malaysia will not make anyone rich. Rather, you may find yourself in severe financial difficulty because of it. Every single player on this team has to pay for their equipment, ice time rental, medical costs, travel costs, tournament fees, league fees, etc etc. The only support we recieve is from our private sponsors - Dexion Asia and Sports Planet, to whom we are endlessly thankful. However even this amount does not cover all of our costs, and the Malaysian government has not put a single cent into ice hockey.

Datuk Lee has graciously volunteered time from his busy schedule to help grow the sport of ice hockey and we are all amazed by the amount of effort and the extent of the detail he has been able to go into with our organization. He recieve no pay for this, and if he were to attend our tournament in Hong Kong it would be from his own wallet. Nor does Malaysia send a "entourage" of personnel. We didn't even have the funding to take an entire ice hockey team. Team officials included myself, our athletic therapist, our team manager and one assistant.

FYI, Ice Hockey was the first team or individual ever sent to the Asian Winter Games from Malaysia where they finished a credible 8th out of 12 teams (also done without gov't support). Building on that Malaysia managed to capture 1st runner up at the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) Challenge Cup of Asia just last week. Considering the government has not supported us, and we did it all on our own, it is really something to be proud of. I think all people in this country should learn from this, and recognize that if you have a dream, and are willing to work towards it, any obstacles can be overcome.

Mr. Allmenarebrothers, I hope you will kindly issue an apology to our Ice Hockey team.

Well another blind man giving is vision of his own fantasies.... No one should have an opinion if he hasn't made the trip qith the contingent to actualize the reality of his assumptions. I made the trip on my own time, meaning I took my annual leave to follow the team and I worked 16 hours per day to assure that our players would be injury free and playing at their full potential. No tax payer money was used for my presences there. You should be talking about how proud you are of our boys performance. we are a federation that as great sponsors that believes in our future and they are the ones that made it possible for us. So next time make the trip with on your own expenses like it's been for all of us and then you'll have something to write about... you should apologize to the whole contingent for your blind remarks.

This is exactly the mentality we Malaysians need to change. Never assume, because we all know what assuming can do.

Don't knock someone just because they're doing the right thing. The national ice hockey players are not your average national athletes. Ice Hockey is not your average sport in Malaysia. They put in all they have to bring glory to Malaysia. All of them, officials included, know what needs to be done to win. Your words, however, suggest you know nothing of how athletes prepare for competition. Perhaps you're one of those armchair quarterbacks.

If you're not happy with how the government is functioning, write in to your local newspaper. Instead of this aimless attack, I suggest you congratulate the boys on a job well done and walk away while you still have some sense left.

Using a backhanded approach is not of a man. Then again, maybe you are a troll hell bent on kicking up dust when there's none to be found.

Signed
EeLaine

Dear Allmenarebrothers,

All the men on this ice hockey team are brothers. They all stand up for each other.

Besides having to train until past midnight and working the next day to pay to represent their country, they have to put up with people like yourself who only know how to complain.

You should be cheering them on not only for bringing back the medal but for every night that they put their blood, sweat and tears into their training. You should be supporting this team because quite frankly they owe you nothing.

These men are the prototypical amateur athletes. They don't play for multi million dollar contracts. They play only for pride and for their country.

Congratulations to the Men's National Ice Hockey Team for bringing back the Silver medal at the 2008 Challenge Cup of Asia!

Bazli #21

Those remarks comes from a chiwawa.... Barks very loud but deep inside they are cowards... before saying anything inform yourself second of all come to the ice rink and meet the people involved and you'll have a quick change of mind of who you are talking about... passionate people on and off the ice. every time you hear about a group of athletes and officials raising fonds for Terminally ill children or orphans don't look anywhere else. Hockey has made a pledge to the community like no other sports has done yet! That's the reason why our sponsors are so close to us. Transparency is the middle name of our federation and no one will change that! So be a man and apologize tho the federation, it's members, players and out most Dato' Lee Hwa Beng! .

Please shut your big mouth before making untrue statement before having your facts right. People like you makes us sick.

JY
#77

From your response, it is obvious you have no knowledge about the ice hockey team and how the federation operates. All players pay out of their pocket every time they attend a tounament, their own expenses for training time on and off-ice. Sponsorship money covers the rest. They are not professional players and all players have to work or study. The players and officials are self-disciplined, even without a signed code of conduct.

The players know what is asked of them, and they do not hesitate to make that sacrifice. Some of the players who have sustained injuries during the Hong Kong tounament face surgery, and the cost of it sits on their shoulders, not others!!!

Such anonymous attack is uncalled for. If you have proof that taxpayers' money was used in any of the tournaments, share it with the rest of the world. When you have nothing to back your claim, apologize to all involved for opening your mouth before thinking.

To my team and coach, I'm extremely PROUD of the silver medal you guys fought hard for MALAYSIA! Thanks to Dato Lee Hwa Beng for making dreams come true for these players.

MALAYSIA ROAR!!!

Susan Loh
Team Manager

Dear allmenare brothers

Please shut your big mouth before making untrue statement before having your facts right. People like you makes us sick.

JY
#77

Datuk Lee is an example of what a true supporter is. He sacrifices his times just to support the Malaysian Ice Hockey team in every way he can. The players can clearly see it that he does it sincerely and believes in the team to succeed. That is the best support a team can get and it is proven with the recent silver medal.

By your comments, you are obviously speaking blindly over the entire situation. Datuk Lee, Dexion Asia, Sports Planet and self supporting players are how the team got about. Commitment from these parties is what makes the Malaysian Ice Hockey team one of the upcoming teams in Asia that actually produces real and consistent results.

Regards,
Jeen Sern

Dear Friends
I am so happy with all your response. I wrote with the intention of drawing your response to what is exactly happening to the state of sporting associations in our country. Politicians such as Azalina and Rustam and a number of OCM officials have been using public moneys to send their friends and side-kicks on overseas jaunts under the guise as supporters.
Often the number of supporters far exceeded the players/sportsmen. or sportswomen.
If you were to read my Comment very carefully never for one moment did I allege that Datuk Lee's had abused his position as the chief-de-mission of the Malaysian Ice Hockey Association.
My intention was to let educated and learned people like you know that what I wrote is the general state of affairs of sports in our country.
For your information I had been involved in a voluntary capacity in one of Selangor's sports association which is affiliated with the OCM. I knew what had been going on as my three-year stint as the honorary treasurer opened my eyes very wide. It is easy for me to resign as I did not even travel on any of the trips whether local or overseas as I occupy a senior position in a big public corporation. I did not draw a single sen from the state sporting association nor claim any petrol allowance or other allowance such as meeting allowance. I came in because I loved that particular sports. I played this particular sports.
As I have great respect for Datuk Lee and I never cast any aspersion that he had abused his position all you good people should instead apologise to me.
I just wanted indirectly to insinuate that he is different from the politicians who grabbed leading positions in many sports association. Just read again carefully what I wrote. Moreover just go to the Net and you will be able to know the sort of mischief the two persons mentioned in my Comment had done using sports as a cover.
All you good folks need to do is to find out who are the Presidents of Selangor and Malaysia's sports associations. Invariably they are controlled by Barisan politicians many of whose conduct leaves much to be desired. Many of them don't even know how to play the particular sports or game of which they are the President!
allmenarebrothers, a friend of Datuk Lee

Dear Dato' Hwa Beng
Don't be too upset with allmenarebrothers. I think he is trying to be helpful for the cause of ice hockey after I re-read his first Comment.
I think he is trying to get u to say that you've not been doing what the other politicians have all along being doing with regard to sports associations or abuse their position thru' "melawat sambil belajar" trick.
Hwa Beng I noticed that he is trying to instigate or challenge u rather than accuse u of misdeeds:-
1." I thought it is fashionable for you..."
2. "Why don't you do the same...."
3. "Just ask Azalina......"
He is right to say that Mohd Ali Rustam had spent RM1million of tax payers' money on a 23-man round the world junket in 2005 under the guise of promoting tourism, including golf tourism and investment.
In this trip he brought along his Governor Khalil Yaakob, his three school going children, your MCA comrade the late Poh Ah Tiam & his wife and other Melaka officials. They spent much time playing golf in the San Antonio, Texas and Hawaii. Spent time also in Dubai on a shopping spree etc.Maybe belly-dancing thrown in too.
Allmenarebrothers is also correct when it comes to Azalina Othman. She and her friends made many trips to London using the excuse of developing the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in Brickendonbury near London into a high-performance sports training centre. A big big waste of tax payers' money again. Thank God the new Sports Minister cancelled this project.
Under your former political boss regime, Khir Toyo approved a 8-day melawat sambil belajar trip to Egypt organized by the Selangor Public Accounts C'tee led by its Chairman Dato' Ahmad Bhari. Senior Selangor State officials were to accompany the PAC members to Egypt for 7-nites of fun including watching belly-dancing. This was exposed by DAP's Ng Suee Lim whom they try to "bribe" into the trip.
I think allmenarebrothers is quite cunning and well-informed. I strongly suspect he is a resident of Subang Jaya (or PJ) & he knew that the Ice Hockey Association has not be funded by tax payer's funds but but sponsors as well as the families of the participants and yourself.
So I think that it is you who owe allmenarebrothers an apology instead.
SubangJayaJoe

Dear JY #77
In this 21st century we shouldn't ask people to "shut your big mouth" unless people used profanities and falsehood to advocate their cause.
As we are all educated and cultured people we should therefore engage in civilised dialogue and engagement as well as in intellectual discourse.
We must argue out our case in a cool, rational and detached manner. You can't be emotional as it would cloud your mind.
Respectfully it would appear that you are too hasty and impatient to read allmenarebrothers' Comment.
You just jumped into conclusion that he was accusing Dato' Hwa Beng of improprieties. Actually if you were to read it again without anger you would be able to analyse that it was complimentary to Dato' Lee.
I totally agree with the views and analysis of SubangJayaJoe.
Let's be more tolerant and accept other people's views and opinion. Also think and analyse what has been written and you can avoid misinterpretation.
You must emulate the great people who knows how to debate and put forth their stand in a cultured and civilised manner.
Shirley Chee, Klana Jaya

I am Shirley Chee and I am from Klana Jaya.
Please read my reponse to the emotional outburst of JY below.
The same appears to apply to you as you, in my humble opinion, did not carefully read allmenarebrothers' Comment for the "loaded" message or you are too impatient.
With humility I urged you not to run down people's views & opinion & accused people that they are "blind man". If people are not rude or do not resort to foul language give people a chance to advocate their stand.
We are all educated and cultured people.
Shirley Chee, Klana Jaya

I am Shirley Chee from Klana Jaya.
You appear to act too much in haste in calling allmenarebrother a chiwawa.
It would appear that whilst you have read his Comment you did not carefully think through every word he used. He (maybe she) did not make any accusation against Dato' Lee. He/she was merely playing the "devil's advocate" and wanted Dato Lee to response according to the real intent behind the Comment.
In law we called this a "red herring". This is also used to train business adminsitration studentsin the case study approach.
Therefore good people like you besides Dato Lee should be man or woman enough to apologise to allmenarebrothers instead.
BTW people like JY #77 must learn not to run people down with words like "shut up" or words to that effect.
We are all educated and cultured people and ought to accept other people's views and opinion.
Also "Anonymous" of May 1 should not dismiss people as "blind". If you think a bit about the First Comment he/she may be construed as "blind" figuratively because he/she did not see the nuances behind allmenarebrother Comment.
Shirley Chee Klana Jaya

If you have an issue with the state of sports associations, I suggest you take it somewhere else. There's a time and place to play devil's advocate and this is neither.

Find an appropriate avenue to voice your views. This isn't the place. The focus here is ice hockey.

EeLaine

Don't be a spoil-sport.
What is a blog for esp when it touches on a national sports association.
After all we are all talking about sports. Sports encourages us to be sportsman/sportswoman-like.
With due respect to you you must accept dissenting views and not tell people off to "Find an appropriate avenue,,,,,,,,,,,This isb't the place"
As a lady I accept your opinion but you must accept mine too.
Shirley Chee from Klana Jaya.

Mr Allmanerebrothers,

You cannot allege you didn't attack the ice hockey association or Datuk Lee. It is clear from your posts your intentions were not to bring about honest debates but rather to bring down good honest hard working people. I think everyone on this blog exposed you for what you really are.

In an attempt to save face you posted replies of people supporting you under the name Shirley Chee. Funny that the IP address is the same as your earlier posts. Same IP = same computer. So strange that Ms. Chee does not know if Mr. Allmanerebrothers is a male or female when they are using the same computer to post on this blog :)

Noone in their right mind would support you after your insulting remarks, so please leave this form and let Ice Hockey enjoy it's accomplishments. And Shirley, we are still waiting for your apology.

- Patrick MacDonald
Head Coach Malaysia Nat'l Ice Hockey Team

Allmanerebrothers,

u got owned big time lol.