KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) applauds the Sports Ministry’s efforts to ensure its indoor hockey team gets a proper venue to train for the 2025 Men’s Indoor Hockey World Cup.
Under the tutelage of Rodzhanizam Mat Radzi, the world number 15 side qualified for the World Cup, scheduled to take place in Croatia in 2025 after the team finished runners-up in the recently concluded Men’s Indoor Hockey Asia Cup in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan.
Malaysia, drawn with the home team Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Oman in Pool B, was in scintillating form, scoring a total of 30 goals in the tournament.
The team lost 7-1 to world number two-ranked Iran in the final on May 25.
In an exclusive interview with Scoop, MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal revealed that the association has already identified a venue for its indoor hockey team to train.
With the assistance of the Malaysia Stadium Corporation, the process should commence in the coming months.
He further said that the new venue will also have proper indoor hockey flooring or surface approved by International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Previously, Scoop reported that the national men’s and women’s indoor hockey teams conducted their training at UTC Sentul, while the Hockey 5s team trained in Seremban, with MHC covering accommodation and transportation costs.
“So, I spoke to minister Hannah Yeoh even before the team travelled to Kazakhstan. I mentioned to her that we needed a venue, and she said no problem and she further told us to go and look for a place.
“We have identified a venue under the management of Malaysian Stadium Corporation. This week, I will visit the place, and it’s my duty to inform the minister. I will write an official letter to the minister, requesting assistance in providing a proper indoor training surface where the teams can train.
“Once we get that, we will have a proper training facility for indoor hockey. We just need an existing venue and to install proper FIH-approved indoor flooring, which is good enough to train on.
“Even by training at UTC Sentul, we have done quite well. If we can have such a facility, I think we will be able to achieve great results.
“For now, we will make use of existing facilities in Sentul, or even train at Sultan Idris Education University in Ipoh, and in a couple of months, we will have our venue close to our national hockey stadium in Bukit Jalil,” said Subahan when met.
At the same time, Subahan also said that the new venue would allow the association to host international tournaments in the years to come, with the hope of elevating the sport to greater heights.
“We can have the men’s and women’s teams training at the new venue. The men can train for the World Cup, and the women’s team can train for the 2025 Bangkok SEA Games. We would also want to organise more international indoor hockey tournaments.
“We want to invest a lot of time and money in indoor hockey and Hockey 5s. I see that these two categories can go far. These two sports can bring success for Malaysian hockey and can also engage youngsters. College and university students like to play this kind of hockey.
“Finding the money is my job. We have now identified a location, and this week we’re going to finalise it. We are happy that the minister is hands-on and wants to help us,” Subahan added.
MHC will be rewarding its indoor hockey team for their historic performance at the Men’s Indoor Hockey Asia Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.
In 2022, Malaysia won the Men’s Indoor Hockey Asia Cup by defeating Iran 3-2 on penalties after drawing 4-4 in regulation time. — June 14, 2024
