UNITY AND TEAMWORK
Ex-national footballer James Wong shares the key to excelling in life.
KOTA KINABALU: Former national footballer James Wong sure knows what it is like when Malaysians come together and work as a team.
The striker for the national team in the 1970s and early 1980s, who scored the winning goal for the country against South Korea to qualify for the 1980 Olympics, said it was the unity and understanding among players that allowed them to excel.
“Unity is the key that helps players understand each other better and thus, produce great results,” the Sabahan said in an interview here.
Wong, who scored the goal following a pass from Hassan Sani, said the multiracial players during his time did not let the differences between them stop them from clicking as a team.
“We were on the same page and would know what the other player was thinking on the field and react accordingly to make sure we scored.
“We never once let our racial and religious differences get in the way,” he recalled.
The success of the Malaysian football team was reimagined in the recent hit local movie OlaBola.
Unity, Wong added, is “very important, not just in football. You can’t do it alone”.
The 63-year-old lamented the current racial issues, especially those seen in peninsular Malaysia.
“To be a developed nation by 2020, these racial issues and tension need to be seriously addressed by the Government,” he said.
Wong was glad that in Sabah and Sarawak, racial tension was not felt at all, although there were more than 30 different races and cultural beliefs.
“Unity is when people know no race or creed. Peace is when you do not have to worry every time you go out or when you are home,” he said.
While Wong espouses unity in diversity, TV presenter and columnist Ben Ibrahim finds the simple act of smiling at one another as the beauty of being a true Malaysian.
“The smiles that we freely give and other simple things are what make us Malaysian,” he said.
He spoke of how Malaysians are still readily helping each other.
“Once, a stranger gave me his phone charger because my battery was dying and I had an urgent assignment.
“Today, I helped a woman who was stuck at the Touch ’n Go toll booth without a card. Her hazard lights were switched on. So I got down with my card to tap it for her. I have seen others doing this,” said the 37-year-old.
Both Ben and Wong echo the values of the upcoming Anak-Anak Malaysia Walk 2016, which celebrates unity, harmony, peace and moderation.
The Anak-Anak Malaysia Walk 2016, to be held ahead of the National Day celebrations, will kick off at the Bukit Bintang City Centre on Aug 14.
The 3.4km walk, starting from the junction of Jalan Imbi and Jalan Pudu at the site of the former Pudu Jail, will be flagged off by Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz.
#AnakAnakMalaysia Walk is organised by Star Media Group in collaboration with Ecoworld. Other sponsors for the event include Car Sponsor: Proton; Gold Sponsor: Panasonic; and Silver Sponsors: Tenaga Nasional and YES.
For more information, call 03-7967 1388, ext 1432/1529/1243 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).