Press Politics (In Sport Section!!)

I admit that I did not read each and every details on the Asia-Kom saga. Nor do I a sport fan. However, when the 'news' was plastered on the newspaper every now and then, I can't help but read some of it. The latest one form BH...

Ramlan ‘kusutkan’ Asia-Kom

Oleh Ahmad Khawari Isa

KETIKA isu Program Asia-Kom tampak menuju destinasi selesa ekoran pelantikan Datuk Zolkples Embong untuk ‘memperbetulkan keadaan’, kekeliruan menjelma apabila Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz seolah-olah mengusutkannya kembali.

Ketua Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) itu – sehari selepas mengumumkan Zolkples mempunyai wibawa memastikan kelancaran pelaksanaan program berkenaan – menjelmakan pula mesej yang mampu ditafsir sebagai sama sekali berbeza.

Segalanya apabila Dr Ramlan – dipetik dalam sebuah akhbar tempatan – berkata Ketua Unit Asia-Kom, Damien Kelly, bukan hanya Zolkples, tetap akan memberi laporan kepada beliau mengenai perkembangan program berkenaan.

Ia mencetus rasa hairan kerana tafsiran mampu terjelma ialah Dr Ramlan seolah-olah meragui kemampuan orang nombor duanya – padahal beliau sendiri mengumumkan Zolkples akan mempengerusikan Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Program Asia-Kom berkenaan.

Malah, tidak juga dapat dipersalahkan tanggapan betapa ia mungkin usaha terus mempertahankan Kelly – bekas pengurus program polo air Australia Barat – yang menjadi sasaran kecaman ekoran kehambaran prestasi atlit program berkenaan ketika temasya Sukan Komanwel di Melbourne lalu.

Ia juga mungkin satu bentuk justifikasi terhadap persoalan mengapa khidmat Kelly – difahamkan menerima bayaran gaji kira-kira RM17,000 sebulan – tidak ditamatkan sahaja selepas kehadiran Zolkples yang diakui mampu menyelesaikan ‘permasalahan’ ciptaan pentadbir warga Australia itu.

Mungkin kekeliruan terbaru itu adalah apa dimaksudkan Setiausaha Kehormat Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM), Datuk Sieh Kok Chi dan Timbalan Presiden Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (PKBM), Datuk Naim Mohamad, apabila memberi nasihat terhadap risiko dan bebanan menanti Zolkples.

Diajukan persoalan itu, Dr Ramlan cuba menjelaskan keadaan.

“Zolkples mempunyai kuasa, sebagai pengerusi jawatankuasa pengurusan, untuk memastikan segala aktiviti Asia-Kom berjalan lancar. Kelly juga akan secara langsung berada di bawah kendaliannya.

“Cuma apa saya maksudkan ialah Zolkples akan melaporkan perkembangan Asia-Kom kepada saya. Dalam perbincangan itu nanti, dia boleh membawa bersama pegawai kanan yang terbabit secara langsung dengan Asia-Kom, seperti Kelly.

“Saya mengamal dasar perbincangan terbuka dan menghargai input serta pandangan semua pihak. Di akhirnya nanti, tanggungjawab keseluruhan akan saya pikul sebagai Ketua Pengarah MSN,” kata Dr Ramlan.

©The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad

I see politics in it. Alot of it and very dirty. Shame on you Ahmad Khawari Isa. It seems that even sports reporters are involved nowadays. On broadsheet mainstream newpaper!

Why can't these reporters sticks to their job title. Report and not judge. I'm sick of this.

Dame's Dinner

An invitation card went around in my office, passed around from desk to desk and ended on my desk. I tried to decline by saying that it's a Baju Batik dinner and I don't have any baju batik with me here. I was immediately given a loaner.

So at 7.45pm, there I was trying to mingle around with civil servants, sponsors and media outside Primula's Gemelan 1 Hall. With little success I might add. The media sticks to themselves. The civil servants in their own circle of friends, making jokes I don't understand. I feel like I'm in an alien world.

Where was I? I was at the dinner to welcome Dame Ellen MacArthur. The lady sailor that stop-over in KT's Heritage Bay Marina during her record making Asian sailing trips.

A short film about Terengganu touristic spot was shown. Then a short documentary of her record breaking round the world feats. Then there was a sampan replica given to her followed by dinner. Then came the traditional dance performance. Those dancers sure have fast legs. It's like a malay version of Riverdance but less sync. That's when I quietly head for the back door. What else can I do when the rest of my table-mate has already left earlier.

Except for the Ellen's documentary and the dancers, the dinner was a boring affair. One that most people will find a waste of time and money. I feel as if most of the local sponsors for the event was either a Terengganu Govenment linked entities or they are being forced to sponsor. Including the company I worked with.

Having said that, I have to admit my admiration for Ellen. It's not easy to circle the globe alone. And in record time too. Eat your heart out Datuk Azhar!

P/S: Sorry, no photos. I was a bit shy to take out my lowly digicam in the middle of those pro SLR those media guys are using (Alasan la tuh!!)

How Much?

Got an email from my batch's mailing list. It lists the available posts in Shell Malaysia and worldwide and it invites us to apply. It was for posts with experience in excess of 7 years. There were also some discussions on it later on. As with most people, my interest was more on the salary level. Not that I'm interested to apply. Just interested to know.

For most of the positions, we were advised to ask for between 9k-10k. For locations in East Malaysia, a further 25-30% hardship allowance and 10-20% housing allowance also applies. If you have special skills and are willing to relocate overseas, you can apply for Expat scheme where you are paid in Euro and does not have to pay tax.

Let's just take the middle ground and relocate to East Malaysia (Miri perhaps). 9500+(9500 x 27.5%)+(9500 x 15%)......errr where's my calculator??......RM13537.50. Then there's the usual perks and benefit of a middle management in an oil and gas company such as medical, club membership, business class travel, yada..yada..yada..

Well, Miri is not that bad. Been there. Even enjoyed it there. Got the Tikar Sarawak to prove it. Should I apply? I'll give it a miss.

Why? Well, money isn't everything. Furthermore, I have been living an expat life before. Been there, done that. Time to settle closer to home.