07 Jul THANK YOU MR CHUA

To Hon. SecretariesNational Sports Federations

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this. As you know, I have been the Director of the National Olympic Academy (NOA) of Malaysia for more than 15 years. I have been conducting Olympic Academy Sessions every year for the last twelve years and many of you have been sending participants to the academy very regularly.

Some of you who have sent really good participants have been fortunate enough to have your candidate selected to represent Malaysia at IOA in Olympia, Greece or for the many other trips to USA, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Turkey, etc.

I have been also conducting more than 45 IOC Olympic Solidarity Sports Administration Courses for officials and coaches all over the country. Many of you may have attended these courses. I have enjoyed teaching and sharing with you my knowledge and experience. I hope you enjoyed it as well and I hope you gained from the experience.

I hope you enjoyed it as well and I hope you gained from the experience.I would also like to mention that I have also initiated the establishment of the Nilai UC – OCM scholarship for former and current national athletes. Through this programme, Nilai University College currently offers 5 scholarships per year for athletes who meet the entry requirement of MQA.

Many former athletes like Carol Lucia (Track & Field), Loke Teng Kee (Volleyball), Harwinder Singh (Archery), Senathiraj (Cricket) Eng Chin Wai (Taekwondo), Daniel Lim (Sailing) and Leong Zhi Weng (Chess) have benefitted from this scholarship scheme.I wonder how many other OCM Committee have done this much for athletes and young leaders for their tertiary education.

I shall now have to give up my involvement in the NOA as the OCM feels that at 64 years I am too old to run the academy! Of course, other Directors of Academies all over the world are mostly in the 70s. But then, as you know OCM is a young Council and does not have “oldies” in its ranks!The OCM has also decided to ask all NOAs, to submit nominations to replace me.That is OK with me, but I hope you will give your nominations serious choice.

Remember that it is for the Director of the Academy. He should be strong in sport and have a strong academic background with a clear understanding of Olympism, Olympic values and Olympic education. He must also have strong organisational and presentation skills.In the NOA we established a succession plan some years ago.

As I am too old to continue as Director (according to OCM Board) I would like to suggest that Dr. Leo Ann Mean (he is about 60 years) be nominated to succeed me.Dr Leo has been actively involved with the Academy from the beginning. He is an outstanding educationist. He was Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya and is Adjunct Professor for a number of foreign universities in Malaysia. He has written many books and lectured at international conferences and seminars.

He was also a good athlete (represented Malaysia in Fencing in the SEA Games) and a former Hon. Secretary of the Malaysian Fencing Association. He will ensure that the Academy will continue to do the good work it has been doing – in fact I believe he will take it to greater heights. Please say ‘No’ to political appointments and nominate someone who has the capacity to make Malaysia proud.If I am too old at 64 to be the Director, then I believe the OCM will consider my Secretary, M.P. Haridas also too old to hold the post he has been holding from the very beginning.

He is already 71 (born in the same year as Dato Sieh Kok Chi, the Hon. Secretary of OCM) so he must be too old. The succession plan for the Secretary of the NOA has also been in place for some time. Our plan was to groom Dr Shamala Subramaniam of MWHA to take over as secretary as soon as she was ready.

An educationist attached to University Pertanian Malaysia, a former National hockey player, the current MWHA Secretary and outstanding NOA participant who received special recognition from the IOA, I believe she will be a great choice!The choice is entirely yours but please make wise choice for the future of the Academy and Malaysian sport.For more information on the appointment of the NOA Director, you can read a special feature “Pierre De Coubertin of Asia” by Joe Marcose posted on 17 June 2009.

Kindly read and give comments from his blog: http://www.joemarcose.blogspot.comOnce again I would like to thank you for all the support that was given to me all these years and I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together in future projects.

Best wishes,

CHUA AH TOK
Director (1994-2009)
National Olympic Academy of Malaysia