By CC Pung – Sabah Justice of Peace and Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and Labuan.
Malaysia shares 61st spot in the Paris 2024 medal standing.
It has one bronze. Aside from it being a measure of a country’s sporting prowess, I believe it is also a reflection of many other seemingly unrelated things from politics, state of the economy, diet, etc.
With the Olympics half way through, the medal tally is telling tales waiting to be understood. At the top, Australia stands out.
With its population only a fraction of close rivals like the US and Japan, the Aussies’ medal haul is a worthy subject of study by, for example, Malaysia.
We have a population slightly bigger than Australia. We are still without an Olympic gold medal since our debut some 20 Olympics ago, while the Aussies probably forgot how many they’ve won.
Hong Kong, a territory of China with only few million people, is miles ahead of Malaysia on the medal table while India, with the world’s biggest population, has just 3 bronze medals to show in Paris.
Indonesia, with eight times more people than Malaysia, is also an Olympic wannabe.
China is recovering from its Century of Humiliation.
Since its economic reformation about 40 years ago, every aspect of life in China, including in sports, has undergone phenomenal progress.
Just a casual look at China’s rise in global sports will reveal the transformative effects of a people’s collective resolve, govt unflinching support and parallel economic advancement.
Malaysia’s story in sports is one marked for very limited success. But is it a failure?
Whatever politically correct term we choose to label Malaysian sports, the important thing is that we be honest.
Our lethargic progress is worthy of indepth study and honest contemplation.
In the wake of the little progress we made in Olympic badminton, one Malaysian netizen, obviously a genius from another universe, suggested that Malaysian authorities must begin to require all its female athletes to cover up or lose their citizenship.
Though this lone voice was widely scoffed at, I’m venturing a guess that his religious sentiments may have more supporters in the govt and bureaucracy than we care to admit.
Muslims are the majority in Malaysia.
From gymnast to divers to runners, how many Muslim girls with potentials and their parents are being put off by the potentials of conflict with a small bunch of religious jealots who, by the authority of their narrow and sick minds, think that wrap-up attires will please some divine beings.
And, by the way, I’m sure that these mushy-brained holy people have been, like sinful me, enjoying on TV, the sight of women sprinters, long jumpers, pole vaulters strutting their stuff on figure-hugging athletic outfits.
Are they imagining how these strong and, in many cases, shapely and Miss universe-beautiful women wrapped by from head to toe and break records?
What do they have in their tea?
Yes, I do think that for Malaysian sports to move forward from zero Olympic gold, one of the first things to watch out for is religion.
