Disgruntled parents, officials voice displeasure with SAG Championship
KUCHING: The 44th Sarawak Age Group Swimming Championship from Feb 10- 12, organised by Kota Samarahan Swimming Association (Kotas), was a success but not without shortcomings.
The most obvious was that the electronic scoring system ( ESS) was not utilised to run the threeday state meet aimed at selecting Sarawak’s representatives to the National Invitational Age Group Swimming Championship next month.
Many of f icial s, pa rent s , swimmers and members of the public were baf f led why this facility at the state- of-art Sarawak Aquatic Centre was not put to good use in the state’s biggest swimming meet.
This was even brought to the attention of a political party, Democratic Action Party, and its Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant highlighted the matter in a local Chinese daily yesterday.
Miri Amateur Swimming Association (Masa) team manager Jackie Phang personally felt that a lot of problems had arisen from not using the electronic scoring system.
“When we came here, al l af filiates were briefed about the participation by GBI (Go By Invitation) in the team managers’ meeting and we were actually very disappointed because we know right from the start that this meet is only meant for swimmers from the seven recognised affiliates.
“For the sake of the swimmers, we had to let the meet proceed and not protest or stop the meet,” she said.
“Even in the Asas ( state association) technical committee meeting it was unanimously agreed that swimmers from a non-affiliate will not be allowed to compete. However, 38 of them were allowed to participate under the pressure and instructions from the higher authorities.
“And 11 of them withdrew from the meet the second day without furnishing any reasons to the organiser, causing problems to the organiser to re- do the events schedule. I really sympathise with the organisers because they are in a tight situation whether to listen to Asas or the higher authorities.
“It is very sad that the so- called higher authorities came in to interfere with how the meet shall be run. I think they should respect and talk to the Asas president and work things out.
She felt that the state association was run according to the constitution and many problems also arose in the past when rules and regulations were not adhered to.
Phang, who is Masa secretary, also expressed her unhappiness over the non-usage of the ESS as many disputes arose from the disqualifications and the final results as they were hand-timed.
There were 62 disqualifications recorded in the three days of competition.
A parent Wong Siew Kai from Sibu was disappointed that the ESS was not utilised and this is not the standard he had expected from the best swimming facility in Sarawak.
“There were no touch-pads and the swimmers’ times were not properly recorded. And whether the new records created in this meet will be recognised by higher swimming authorities is another question.
“This is the best swimming faci lity in Sarawak and the electronic scoring system was not used. We have a ESS in Sibu to host swimming competitions and yet this meet was organised without it.
“This is such a disheartening thing and when we come here we are quite disappointed. We couldn’t do anything. There may be a squabble going on between several parties but for the sake of our swimmers please stop squabbling or politicking and bring them into this competition,” he added.
Another parent from Sibu HM Wong was in a confused state of mind before she came to Kuching last Thursday.
“Before we took the bus to Kuching, we still didn’t know where the competition would be held and whether it would be staged because usage of the swimming pool was not yet approved by the authorities concerned.
Wong only knew that the pool was “released” to the organisers late Thursday evening and felt relieved that the show would go on as scheduled.
“This is a simple competition for the organiser and why make things complicated such as who can compete and who cannot compete,” she said.
Wong felt that the top officials of the state swimming association and the authorities concerned should not have self interests but instead should selflessly develop Sarawak swimming.
KK Chan,a parent from Kuching said the parents were very disappointed and wanted to know why the ESS was not used at the RM163 million aquatic centre.
“You have the best facilities in Sarawak or even in Malaysia and there is no reason why the ESS was not used, The ESS was also used in the Kuching Age Group and why not in the state’s biggest meet,” he asked.
He said it was hard for the officials and the spectators to tell who was the winner of the event, whether it is first swimmer or the second swimmer especially in events such as the 50m freestyle where the finish is very close between the competitors.
Mike Chua from Kuching said it was not right for the organisers to allow swimmers from non-affiliate Serian Amateur Swimming Association to participate in the meet.
“Somehow they got in through the back door with the intervention of the government. You should be inviting the best swimmers to come and compete but many of them have only started to learn swimming,” he said.
Chua added that it would be a big joke and put Asas and the state government to shame if the “Invited Swimmers” won the championship.
“How should we address the champions when the team has no name?,” he asked.
Chua was also unhappy that the government had also threatened not to let the organisers use the aquatic centre unless the “invited swimmers” were allowed to participate in SAG.
“This centre is built with the taxpayers money and the government is only the guardian of the sports facilities,” he added.
Another concerned parent who only wished to be known as Sim said the Sarawak Aquatic Centre was not perfectly planned.
“I have followed my children to a number of competitions outside Sarawak which are also held in a roofed stadium. The rain will not affect the competition and the officials running it.
“But here, certain parts of the stadium is not covered and whenever there is rain, the wind will blow it into the stadium and wet the spectator seats.
“The poor officials also get wet and if there is very heavy rain, the competition also had to be delayed because it would be hard for the swimmers to hear the starter’s horn clearly,” she added.
The 4 4th SAG saw Kota Samarahan Swimming Association ( Kotas) emerging as overall champions while Kuching Amateur Swimming Association ( Kasa) 2010 and Sibu Amateur Swimming Association (Sasa) finished second and third respectively.
Ten new meet records were also created in the meet participated by over 200 swimmers from seven teams including Bintulu Amateur Swimming Association and Limbang Amateur Swimming Association.