It is my strong opinion that once a trainer accepts the money to train any junior, whether they make it as a National Junior or not, it is their moral responsibility to fight for selection at the senior level. Every cent spent by the juniors is an expression of their hopes and dreams and when you accept that money you have also accepted the moral obligation to help them overcome any hurdles they may face. They pay you because they want to be better than a mere hobbyist.
Now any trainer or Coach worth their salt knows that ultimately the success of the juniors are in their own hands. It depends on the price they are willing to pay. What they are willing to sacrifice. But we also know that different players can or will mature at different times. But when they do decide it is time, they need to be given a chance to express their desire and the knowledge they have paid you to learn.
So removing selection takes away any hope and dashes their dreams. In fact if you look at the new COS Constitution of MCF, it is spelled out very clearly that there must be clean and fair selection. But it has always been implicit in the function of the Federation.
Some of you trainers are also in the Associations and will carry a vote at the upcoming AGM. Now whether you are also a senior or ex-senior, I think you need to examine whether it is justifiable for you to take their money knowing that they will never have the chance to use the skills they have paid for once they are over 20yo.
Do you tell them that when they come to pay you? When you ask for their money? That after 20yo they need to forget chess and learn how to deal for the back door for there is no selection? Or kow tow to Jimmy for a privileged entry before that? So you need to use your vote to bring in change or you don't really deserve to be a trainer or a coach. You belong in another profession.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Message to parents of National Juniors.
Dear fellow parents of National Juniors,
I write to you today to see if we can collectively change the unfair practices perpetuated against our kids. A lot of work have been put into this over the last 2 years and we are but a short distance from realising the conditions that can help Malaysian chess out of the many years of backsliding.
But before I do that I want to address some accusations that have been levied against me which are documented on Jimmy's site and repeated by certain individuals in the Associations and their cronies. One of the things said is that I am doing it to promote my own son and that I have been writing this blog for purely self interest.
Lets consider this today. It only takes 2 seconds of consideration to see that a proper selection in no way benefits Mark individually. This is for the good of all as I will explain further later, apart from the obvious. They also say that I talk only and have taken no action. I think if you just take a very short moment to see what I have done from my time in PICA till now, I believe you will see that I have done more than most. A lot more.
So why have I taken to the blog and stop further work for chess apart from continuing to develop Mark when time allows. Lets consider this now. The fact is that with every action I have taken I have met with sabotage after sabotage. Our current climate in Malaysian chess is not conducive to further investments until condition changes. You see, there is no avenue for appeal when injustices have been perpetuated. This is for the simple reason that unjust acts actually originate from MCF itself or with their support.
Actually most of us know this. But what can we do? We have been helpless for many many years. We are by far the biggest investor in Malaysian chess and we have no say. If we even try to speak up we find our child banned, our reputation tarnished by lies spread by vested interest. This is their way.
This is also known by many of us. But this time around we can make a difference. What has changed this time around? For one we now know that the seniors are weak. They have been using a system of inflating their Fide numbers and they can no longer play strong chess. We know that they continue their control of the senior squad only by vile acts of intimidation and psychological suppression of our Juniors.
But today, this is much more difficult. MCF has a constitution which now says that there must be a fair selection for representation of Malaysia. There is much more. If you want a copy of the latest constitution please write in to me and I will forward you a copy.
And there is more you can do. MCF is having their next committee meeting on Nov 2nd and will call for the AGM soon. So this is the action you can take. How they have managed to deny our rights despite our heavy investments is simply because they can divide and rule us. There are some of us who still supports the current system of back door entries in the mistaken belief that it is in our child's best interest. This is not the case. What they have done is to weaken your child by giving them a place purely because of their "generosity" and not because your child deserves it.
What they have really done is to place a cap on your child's growth after taking your money to train them. And then they tell you and other parents that your child is not good enough without them opening the back doors for them. This is a con game. If you think carefully they cannot support all the juniors they take money from this way. So some of you will be left with broken promises. And then they will tell you next year. Next year is your turn for the back door. And over the years our talent have disappeared.
So don't fall for this trap again. Do this. There are certain trainers who claim to be able to bring your child to national success. Maybe they can or maybe they can't. That is up to you to decide. But this is the question you need to ask them. After all the training, will my child have a chance to play for selection at the senior level. We pay for the junior level but will there be some point when the Country pays for us if my child is good enough? Or will we have to carry you for the rest of our lives or for as long as my child doesn't give up from waiting for a chance for "selection" via the back door.
And if they don't support free and fair selection at the senior level, don't use them. They are simply cheating you. They know that your child will never have the chance no matter how talented they are. The only way in to the senior level now is when they have broken the spirit of your child and for that one off. And I am sure you did not invest all that money for that to happen. So do this. This is enough. Speak to your trainers. Ask them; if I pay you to train my child, will you support selection at the senior level. From the answer you will know who they are.
Remember. Write to me if you want a copy of the latest MCF constitution. From there you will see much more clearly the con game those crooks have perpetuated on us for all these years.
I say this not for any selfish reasons. Some have said that I am asking you to do my fight for me. Actually the correct perspective is that I am giving you the means to do something for yourself and for your child and for Malaysian chess.
I am giving you information on all the dirty tricks they have used to allow Jimmy to still play for Malaysia long after he has lost his courage. We have much better players in Malaysia. They too deserve a chance.
Make selection an issue at the next AGM. Tell the trainers in the committees, and there are many of them, to vote in change or else dump them. They do not deserve our money or support.
I write to you today to see if we can collectively change the unfair practices perpetuated against our kids. A lot of work have been put into this over the last 2 years and we are but a short distance from realising the conditions that can help Malaysian chess out of the many years of backsliding.
But before I do that I want to address some accusations that have been levied against me which are documented on Jimmy's site and repeated by certain individuals in the Associations and their cronies. One of the things said is that I am doing it to promote my own son and that I have been writing this blog for purely self interest.
Lets consider this today. It only takes 2 seconds of consideration to see that a proper selection in no way benefits Mark individually. This is for the good of all as I will explain further later, apart from the obvious. They also say that I talk only and have taken no action. I think if you just take a very short moment to see what I have done from my time in PICA till now, I believe you will see that I have done more than most. A lot more.
So why have I taken to the blog and stop further work for chess apart from continuing to develop Mark when time allows. Lets consider this now. The fact is that with every action I have taken I have met with sabotage after sabotage. Our current climate in Malaysian chess is not conducive to further investments until condition changes. You see, there is no avenue for appeal when injustices have been perpetuated. This is for the simple reason that unjust acts actually originate from MCF itself or with their support.
Actually most of us know this. But what can we do? We have been helpless for many many years. We are by far the biggest investor in Malaysian chess and we have no say. If we even try to speak up we find our child banned, our reputation tarnished by lies spread by vested interest. This is their way.
This is also known by many of us. But this time around we can make a difference. What has changed this time around? For one we now know that the seniors are weak. They have been using a system of inflating their Fide numbers and they can no longer play strong chess. We know that they continue their control of the senior squad only by vile acts of intimidation and psychological suppression of our Juniors.
But today, this is much more difficult. MCF has a constitution which now says that there must be a fair selection for representation of Malaysia. There is much more. If you want a copy of the latest constitution please write in to me and I will forward you a copy.
And there is more you can do. MCF is having their next committee meeting on Nov 2nd and will call for the AGM soon. So this is the action you can take. How they have managed to deny our rights despite our heavy investments is simply because they can divide and rule us. There are some of us who still supports the current system of back door entries in the mistaken belief that it is in our child's best interest. This is not the case. What they have done is to weaken your child by giving them a place purely because of their "generosity" and not because your child deserves it.
What they have really done is to place a cap on your child's growth after taking your money to train them. And then they tell you and other parents that your child is not good enough without them opening the back doors for them. This is a con game. If you think carefully they cannot support all the juniors they take money from this way. So some of you will be left with broken promises. And then they will tell you next year. Next year is your turn for the back door. And over the years our talent have disappeared.
So don't fall for this trap again. Do this. There are certain trainers who claim to be able to bring your child to national success. Maybe they can or maybe they can't. That is up to you to decide. But this is the question you need to ask them. After all the training, will my child have a chance to play for selection at the senior level. We pay for the junior level but will there be some point when the Country pays for us if my child is good enough? Or will we have to carry you for the rest of our lives or for as long as my child doesn't give up from waiting for a chance for "selection" via the back door.
And if they don't support free and fair selection at the senior level, don't use them. They are simply cheating you. They know that your child will never have the chance no matter how talented they are. The only way in to the senior level now is when they have broken the spirit of your child and for that one off. And I am sure you did not invest all that money for that to happen. So do this. This is enough. Speak to your trainers. Ask them; if I pay you to train my child, will you support selection at the senior level. From the answer you will know who they are.
Remember. Write to me if you want a copy of the latest MCF constitution. From there you will see much more clearly the con game those crooks have perpetuated on us for all these years.
I say this not for any selfish reasons. Some have said that I am asking you to do my fight for me. Actually the correct perspective is that I am giving you the means to do something for yourself and for your child and for Malaysian chess.
I am giving you information on all the dirty tricks they have used to allow Jimmy to still play for Malaysia long after he has lost his courage. We have much better players in Malaysia. They too deserve a chance.
Make selection an issue at the next AGM. Tell the trainers in the committees, and there are many of them, to vote in change or else dump them. They do not deserve our money or support.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Why MCF does not have the moral right to cancel selection.
Now if you read this again, here, it will give you an idea of how much parents pay for the development of the juniors. How much is put into the game in terms of energy, resources and time. This is not to mention the independent players who continue to pay to play in tournaments and train to improve.
And we know that after 20yo the juniors are just about ready to challenge for the senior places. Now all the times before 20yo, the parents pay. After 20yo, either the Country or historically a sponsor pays.
It is at this time that the betrayal is most obvious. Some of the seniors are also trainers. And they make good money from the juniors. They have no problems taking the money when the parents pay. It is a happy time for them. And MCF officials get their free trips too paid by parents, they also get their free Fide organiser courses paid again by parents, their sponsors and other players etc. The trainers get paid for the training. Happy happy for all.
You may think that if you use trainers who are also in the senior team, they may allow you entry. But is that the case? They do not allow you to win by competition, they only allow you to enter the senior team if you are not strong enough to beat them, if they can control you. Have we not seen that?
If you see how many times some of those seniors have hogged the senior squad, you will begin to see how many generation of juniors we have lost by this practice. Ilham has written something about how many times Jimmy have played at Olympiad etc if you can get to his site. Right now I think the site is infected by a virus.
Now on the other hand, MCF does nothing to develop our players. Just the opposite in fact. They sabotaged the training of our juniors going to Asean. There is a sponsor who sponsors the Olympiad for the seniors. A drop in the ocean compared to what the parents pay year in year out. But once the juniors have exceeded 20yo, they are of no more use to the seniors or MCF. And then they are systematically culled. By missing their names even if their Fide rating is higher, by withdrawing selection when they know the seniors cannot win anymore etc etc. Too many dirty tricks to quantify here.
So MCF has no justification to withdraw selection. Not after benefiting from the parents money. The sponsor cannot use his/her little drop of money to justify taking away the rights of those that have paid an ocean's worth. The seniors have no moral right for objecting to selection. They have earned from the juniors and if they are any damn good, the juniors should be trashing them by 20yo. Using their own words, if their players are not a GM by 15yo then they are worthless. But of course this only applies to those that have used that argument, stupid as it sounds.
ps: Personally I would never go to any of these trainers. If they don't believe in the juniors they are training, they are going to do more harmful than good. Plus they have already declared their position on selection. That tells you what their real agenda is. Look at what Peter is already saying about Roshan. What more can I say?
And we know that after 20yo the juniors are just about ready to challenge for the senior places. Now all the times before 20yo, the parents pay. After 20yo, either the Country or historically a sponsor pays.
It is at this time that the betrayal is most obvious. Some of the seniors are also trainers. And they make good money from the juniors. They have no problems taking the money when the parents pay. It is a happy time for them. And MCF officials get their free trips too paid by parents, they also get their free Fide organiser courses paid again by parents, their sponsors and other players etc. The trainers get paid for the training. Happy happy for all.
You may think that if you use trainers who are also in the senior team, they may allow you entry. But is that the case? They do not allow you to win by competition, they only allow you to enter the senior team if you are not strong enough to beat them, if they can control you. Have we not seen that?
If you see how many times some of those seniors have hogged the senior squad, you will begin to see how many generation of juniors we have lost by this practice. Ilham has written something about how many times Jimmy have played at Olympiad etc if you can get to his site. Right now I think the site is infected by a virus.
Now on the other hand, MCF does nothing to develop our players. Just the opposite in fact. They sabotaged the training of our juniors going to Asean. There is a sponsor who sponsors the Olympiad for the seniors. A drop in the ocean compared to what the parents pay year in year out. But once the juniors have exceeded 20yo, they are of no more use to the seniors or MCF. And then they are systematically culled. By missing their names even if their Fide rating is higher, by withdrawing selection when they know the seniors cannot win anymore etc etc. Too many dirty tricks to quantify here.
So MCF has no justification to withdraw selection. Not after benefiting from the parents money. The sponsor cannot use his/her little drop of money to justify taking away the rights of those that have paid an ocean's worth. The seniors have no moral right for objecting to selection. They have earned from the juniors and if they are any damn good, the juniors should be trashing them by 20yo. Using their own words, if their players are not a GM by 15yo then they are worthless. But of course this only applies to those that have used that argument, stupid as it sounds.
ps: Personally I would never go to any of these trainers. If they don't believe in the juniors they are training, they are going to do more harmful than good. Plus they have already declared their position on selection. That tells you what their real agenda is. Look at what Peter is already saying about Roshan. What more can I say?
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Today's Contemplation.
The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.
-- Og Mandino (1923-1996)
-- Og Mandino (1923-1996)
Saturday, October 27, 2012
For those people who still don't understand what this blog is all about.
Try reading this. Here.
There are a few people who still cannot see the sacrifice of the parents or the players who strive to excel but do no harm to others. What can I say? I hope life will bring you the lessons where you can finally learn the consequence of your actions. I don't wish you an awakening as traumatic as this but one just enough to wake you up.
It is really quite simple. The selfish acts of a very few people have kept Malaysian chess from progressing for over 30 plus years. And it is time we put that behind us and curb their further influence in our community.
There are a few people who still cannot see the sacrifice of the parents or the players who strive to excel but do no harm to others. What can I say? I hope life will bring you the lessons where you can finally learn the consequence of your actions. I don't wish you an awakening as traumatic as this but one just enough to wake you up.
It is really quite simple. The selfish acts of a very few people have kept Malaysian chess from progressing for over 30 plus years. And it is time we put that behind us and curb their further influence in our community.
A story on how to demoralise our Juniors and keep the kup chai's barely running.
We start the story by inventing a story of how lousy our juniors are. We tell them that they are all washed out by 15yo. We tell them they they will never be as good as the kup chai's of old. And since this story will be carried by the M's it should have sufficient authority to knock out a number of them.
And then an accident of history happened. There was a new Secretary who wanted to cement his authority. And so a decision was pushed through for a selection for SEA games to stress out the kup chai's and tell them who is in charge. And there were a couple of juniors who tried to test their skills in the selection. One was forced to write an email to deny the training in the promise of a reward. The other fought and won his place in the senior squad. This was not planned and so that junior was attacked on the blogs and by the kup chai's at Datmo team till he too submitted and apologised to ghosts.
And then at the Olympiad 2 juniors got in but without selection. One was as a reward for the email as promised and the other by a PR campaign. Now why is that significant? Let us examine that today. Now if the juniors had won their place in a proper selection, they would have gained in self confidence and self esteem. And that cannot be allowed. The kup chai's know that they are no longer strong. Look here.
The technical skills are being very quickly narrowed particularly since some of the M's don't even dare to play in proper tournaments anymore. And one of them was soundly trashed at the SEA games selection. And the other was a total wash out at the Olympiad. So they cannot allow the juniors to rise in confidence.
And so the deal, the PR campaigns and the threats. This is the message. Don't try to beat us. The way in is through us. We tell you who can play and who cannot. We want a very young player to hype about because this is good for our business. And we can reward those that play ball with us. Forget about your chess.
And in listening to them those juniors will never develop their own self confidence. The selection was never theirs. It was given to them. And what is given can also be taken away. The message is to kow tow. And so the juniors remain weak. Not because of a lack in technical skills but because their confidence was robbed.
And this is their message to the parents. Your only role is to make us rich. If you use other trainers or coaches apart from us then we will fix your kid at the senior level. They will never make it. So you better learn this lesson. We are in control. And if you don't listen we can even ban your child. No grounds are needed. We are the God's of Malaysian chess. Forget about training them. Learn to kow tow to us. This pays better for you if you don't want the same treatment.
And this story has a sad note. This perversion is supported by people in MCF itself. And there are even parents who support this in the mistaken belief that their child will be spared. That behaviour is called appeasement. That was tried with Hitler. It didn't work then and it won't work now.
Think on this story. The ending is up to you. You can write a happy ending to this story. The wheel is still in spin.
Look carefully at those guys who try to play God. Are they really any good? What can they show your child except the way of the cowards. You can pick up technical skills anywhere without risking damage to your child. Why do it this way?
And then an accident of history happened. There was a new Secretary who wanted to cement his authority. And so a decision was pushed through for a selection for SEA games to stress out the kup chai's and tell them who is in charge. And there were a couple of juniors who tried to test their skills in the selection. One was forced to write an email to deny the training in the promise of a reward. The other fought and won his place in the senior squad. This was not planned and so that junior was attacked on the blogs and by the kup chai's at Datmo team till he too submitted and apologised to ghosts.
And then at the Olympiad 2 juniors got in but without selection. One was as a reward for the email as promised and the other by a PR campaign. Now why is that significant? Let us examine that today. Now if the juniors had won their place in a proper selection, they would have gained in self confidence and self esteem. And that cannot be allowed. The kup chai's know that they are no longer strong. Look here.
The technical skills are being very quickly narrowed particularly since some of the M's don't even dare to play in proper tournaments anymore. And one of them was soundly trashed at the SEA games selection. And the other was a total wash out at the Olympiad. So they cannot allow the juniors to rise in confidence.
And so the deal, the PR campaigns and the threats. This is the message. Don't try to beat us. The way in is through us. We tell you who can play and who cannot. We want a very young player to hype about because this is good for our business. And we can reward those that play ball with us. Forget about your chess.
And in listening to them those juniors will never develop their own self confidence. The selection was never theirs. It was given to them. And what is given can also be taken away. The message is to kow tow. And so the juniors remain weak. Not because of a lack in technical skills but because their confidence was robbed.
And this is their message to the parents. Your only role is to make us rich. If you use other trainers or coaches apart from us then we will fix your kid at the senior level. They will never make it. So you better learn this lesson. We are in control. And if you don't listen we can even ban your child. No grounds are needed. We are the God's of Malaysian chess. Forget about training them. Learn to kow tow to us. This pays better for you if you don't want the same treatment.
And this story has a sad note. This perversion is supported by people in MCF itself. And there are even parents who support this in the mistaken belief that their child will be spared. That behaviour is called appeasement. That was tried with Hitler. It didn't work then and it won't work now.
Think on this story. The ending is up to you. You can write a happy ending to this story. The wheel is still in spin.
Look carefully at those guys who try to play God. Are they really any good? What can they show your child except the way of the cowards. You can pick up technical skills anywhere without risking damage to your child. Why do it this way?
Latest reply from Lim Tse Pin on facebook.
Ref: Here.
"The rating fee was raised back in 2010, not 2011. So, it has nothing to do with the money MCF owed to me as at 2011. In fact, MCF does not owe me before the raise aka 2009. Also, I would like to point out that the TnC for my rating fee from 2010 onwards is the same like prior to 2010. In short, I do not benefit extra from the raising NR fee. Does this answer your question?"
You have left out if there is in fact a resolution by the committee of MCF allowing the money to be paid into your personal account. If you can produce that it would clear the air. But even that may still leave the question of whether such a resolution is legal or not. But that would be a question best answered by the authorities.
"The rating fee was raised back in 2010, not 2011. So, it has nothing to do with the money MCF owed to me as at 2011. In fact, MCF does not owe me before the raise aka 2009. Also, I would like to point out that the TnC for my rating fee from 2010 onwards is the same like prior to 2010. In short, I do not benefit extra from the raising NR fee. Does this answer your question?"
You have left out if there is in fact a resolution by the committee of MCF allowing the money to be paid into your personal account. If you can produce that it would clear the air. But even that may still leave the question of whether such a resolution is legal or not. But that would be a question best answered by the authorities.
Friday, October 26, 2012
World Youth.
Insights from Peter Long. Here.
I am glad that Peter is taking his training of Roshan seriously although I myself would not put such caveats publicly on Roshan's possible performance there almost like an early prepared excuse should Peter bomb again. Most people in the Malaysian chess community are supportive of all our players although we have of course seen the vile and anonymous attacks, toyols bred primarily on Jimmy's site in the past, of them on the blogs.
The only ones that openly damaged or try to damage our own players in the past have been Jimmy and Peter. So I hope this is the beginning of a new leaf for them. So Roshan take heart and play strong. Peter has good technical skills but you need to ignore his emotional immaturity and insecurities.
All the best to all of our Malaysian juniors.
Note: I think the readers can begin to see how much parents spend on their children and why match fixing is such a big thing for us. This is typical of the heavy investments by parents of our national juniors for Malaysian chess and that is why we are deeply offended by back doors and bannings without grounds by weak trainers. And from here you can also see why some seniors get frightened of the juniors rapid improvement and keeps trying to put them down. (And this includes Peter as well as Jimmy). Actually a few of our juniors can already challenge the seniors and that is why selection was taken away to protect their places on the senior squad. And this is what we are challenging now.
I am glad that Peter is taking his training of Roshan seriously although I myself would not put such caveats publicly on Roshan's possible performance there almost like an early prepared excuse should Peter bomb again. Most people in the Malaysian chess community are supportive of all our players although we have of course seen the vile and anonymous attacks, toyols bred primarily on Jimmy's site in the past, of them on the blogs.
The only ones that openly damaged or try to damage our own players in the past have been Jimmy and Peter. So I hope this is the beginning of a new leaf for them. So Roshan take heart and play strong. Peter has good technical skills but you need to ignore his emotional immaturity and insecurities.
All the best to all of our Malaysian juniors.
Note: I think the readers can begin to see how much parents spend on their children and why match fixing is such a big thing for us. This is typical of the heavy investments by parents of our national juniors for Malaysian chess and that is why we are deeply offended by back doors and bannings without grounds by weak trainers. And from here you can also see why some seniors get frightened of the juniors rapid improvement and keeps trying to put them down. (And this includes Peter as well as Jimmy). Actually a few of our juniors can already challenge the seniors and that is why selection was taken away to protect their places on the senior squad. And this is what we are challenging now.
Without checks and balances there will always be abuse.
Why MCF and their cronies have been able to get away with their abuses is simply because there are no checks and balances. And so a culture where they can fitnah/slander with impunity has thrived. That is why the use of gangster methods are highly developed. This is very obvious. But lets look deeper.
Isn't this also because they are scared? If they have ideas to develop would they need to use these methods? Would they need to hide their decisions and make it harder to comprehend than the Chinese Communist party if all is above board? Would they need all those dirty tricks? You only need to hide because you have something to hide. You only need to hide because you actually have no ideas.
Even deeper still. Because they have to use these methods what has happened to their ability to reason? To think deeply to find solutions? It has completely atrophied. Look carefully, it is almost impossible to reason with them. All they know is intimidation, character assassination and lies. And because they spend all their energy and time developing that they have no time left to develop their ability to think and reason.
And then we come full circle. You have no ideas because of your need to hide.
And now do you understand why our chess is at the level that it is? Chess is about reasoning about deep thinking. And they have exhibited no ability to do that. All they know is fear based decisions and knee jerks. All they know is sabotage.
And that is what they are teaching our kids too. What do you think Zhuo Ren and Sumant have learned from their methods? If I write a slanderous email, I get to go to the Olympiads. If I win in a clean selection, I am attacked publicly. And after I have made a public attack myself I must now defend the lies.
And the officials? After I have taken from the poisoned pot, I too must defend the system or face possible retribution.
And so the corruption spreads. The system defends itself. And the corruption started in my opinion simply because we elected the wrong people into positions of authority. Lets take the position of Secretary to illustrate this. It's a full time job. The man has no money. Actually NGO's should be populated by successful people who now wants to give back to the community. But we don't have enough of them in chess. And so its an impossible situation.
So pay the man for the job that he does. If we don't pay him and we know he has no money who's fault is that? So there is no need for retribution. As far as I can see, he is a good person put into an impossible situation. Correct the system first. And if they still practice corruption then that is another matter.
Over the many years of this upside down system, some of them actually believe they are in the right to take away the rights of everyone else. We also see an extreme version of this in some documentaries of child soldiers. Right become wrong. And wrong is right because they know no better.
Checks and balances.
Isn't this also because they are scared? If they have ideas to develop would they need to use these methods? Would they need to hide their decisions and make it harder to comprehend than the Chinese Communist party if all is above board? Would they need all those dirty tricks? You only need to hide because you have something to hide. You only need to hide because you actually have no ideas.
Even deeper still. Because they have to use these methods what has happened to their ability to reason? To think deeply to find solutions? It has completely atrophied. Look carefully, it is almost impossible to reason with them. All they know is intimidation, character assassination and lies. And because they spend all their energy and time developing that they have no time left to develop their ability to think and reason.
And then we come full circle. You have no ideas because of your need to hide.
And now do you understand why our chess is at the level that it is? Chess is about reasoning about deep thinking. And they have exhibited no ability to do that. All they know is fear based decisions and knee jerks. All they know is sabotage.
And that is what they are teaching our kids too. What do you think Zhuo Ren and Sumant have learned from their methods? If I write a slanderous email, I get to go to the Olympiads. If I win in a clean selection, I am attacked publicly. And after I have made a public attack myself I must now defend the lies.
And the officials? After I have taken from the poisoned pot, I too must defend the system or face possible retribution.
And so the corruption spreads. The system defends itself. And the corruption started in my opinion simply because we elected the wrong people into positions of authority. Lets take the position of Secretary to illustrate this. It's a full time job. The man has no money. Actually NGO's should be populated by successful people who now wants to give back to the community. But we don't have enough of them in chess. And so its an impossible situation.
So pay the man for the job that he does. If we don't pay him and we know he has no money who's fault is that? So there is no need for retribution. As far as I can see, he is a good person put into an impossible situation. Correct the system first. And if they still practice corruption then that is another matter.
Over the many years of this upside down system, some of them actually believe they are in the right to take away the rights of everyone else. We also see an extreme version of this in some documentaries of child soldiers. Right become wrong. And wrong is right because they know no better.
Checks and balances.
The MCF AGM is not about retribution.
I have been a strong advocate for change at the next MCF AGM since the Olympiad fiasco when they removed selection and ran rough shot over the opportunities of all the players in Malaysia over a few cronies who got in through the back door and PR campaigns. So it's about moving away from failure and illicit support of the weak.
It's also about first recognising and then protecting the rights of parents who have made big investments in their children. It's about the rights of independent organisers, trainers and coaches who wants their players to be given the chance to compete on a level playing field.
And so its about moving away from the abuse of authority and the bad practices of the past. What I have done on this site is to show you what the true picture is and why we have been failing by bringing you to their sites and showing you who they really are. I have asked questions about their public statements and I am confident that all right thinking members of the Malaysian chess community can now see through their lies.
So let me share with you today about the process of negotiations. The first step is for recognising that there is another position. Until recently, they have refused to recognise that anybody else have rights. They have believed that only those few of them have any rights and so they have used our Associations to give themselves the power to put in anyone they want to represent State or Country. They have used our Associations to enrich themselves to the detriment of the development of Malaysian chess.
And to this end they have developed the art of lying and subterfuge. They are very well practiced at this art. And in doing so they have lost sight of the truth. They cannot even see how far we have slid in International standing no matter what evidence is presented to them. They have lost the art of reasoning and they have not developed their thinking. All they know today is how to defend their lies.
But this is not about them anymore. This is about winning the AGM so that we can put in proper policies and guidelines. This is about protecting the resources of our chess community so we can develop ourselves. So let focus on this.
I hear there is a hardening of position and legal threats are being thrown around. I hear that they do not want the AGM in the mistaken belief that if MCF is disbanned by COS their past criminal activities will be buried. This is because they fear retribution for their badly disguised mismanagement and likely CBT.
Since the 2 positions are now fairly well established, it is possible to look to some accommodation. This was not possible before as there was only their position.
So this is what I suggest. As long as they continue to recognise the rights of all within the chess community and do not perform any new acts of sabotage, there should be no retribution. Let them stay but in positions where they can do no more harm. In time I believe they too can contribute.
If we sit down and think about it, they are just victims of a bad system. So do set up a proper system with a competent team. This should be about building and we should walk away from their culture of pettiness.
It's also about first recognising and then protecting the rights of parents who have made big investments in their children. It's about the rights of independent organisers, trainers and coaches who wants their players to be given the chance to compete on a level playing field.
And so its about moving away from the abuse of authority and the bad practices of the past. What I have done on this site is to show you what the true picture is and why we have been failing by bringing you to their sites and showing you who they really are. I have asked questions about their public statements and I am confident that all right thinking members of the Malaysian chess community can now see through their lies.
So let me share with you today about the process of negotiations. The first step is for recognising that there is another position. Until recently, they have refused to recognise that anybody else have rights. They have believed that only those few of them have any rights and so they have used our Associations to give themselves the power to put in anyone they want to represent State or Country. They have used our Associations to enrich themselves to the detriment of the development of Malaysian chess.
And to this end they have developed the art of lying and subterfuge. They are very well practiced at this art. And in doing so they have lost sight of the truth. They cannot even see how far we have slid in International standing no matter what evidence is presented to them. They have lost the art of reasoning and they have not developed their thinking. All they know today is how to defend their lies.
But this is not about them anymore. This is about winning the AGM so that we can put in proper policies and guidelines. This is about protecting the resources of our chess community so we can develop ourselves. So let focus on this.
I hear there is a hardening of position and legal threats are being thrown around. I hear that they do not want the AGM in the mistaken belief that if MCF is disbanned by COS their past criminal activities will be buried. This is because they fear retribution for their badly disguised mismanagement and likely CBT.
Since the 2 positions are now fairly well established, it is possible to look to some accommodation. This was not possible before as there was only their position.
So this is what I suggest. As long as they continue to recognise the rights of all within the chess community and do not perform any new acts of sabotage, there should be no retribution. Let them stay but in positions where they can do no more harm. In time I believe they too can contribute.
If we sit down and think about it, they are just victims of a bad system. So do set up a proper system with a competent team. This should be about building and we should walk away from their culture of pettiness.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
The truth about PICA and Fitnah.
I have been accused of cheating PICA and taking public funds yet again on facebook and have been accused of fitnah by others earlier. So lets look at this issue again. I will be more direct this time as we have been rehashing this issue over and over again.
So lets look at the PICA issue first. It was from PICA that I got most of my experience on the dirty tricks that some officials in chess practice and why I am able to advice parents and others new to chess today.
When I joined PICA as an official in 2009, this was the situation. There were no strong sponsors for chess and the new committee wanted to bring in more activities. So 3 tournaments were planned and mine was the 3rd. At the full committee meeting I said that I would like to find new sponsors and that I would also like to try in KL as well as in Perak. I wasn't sure how much expenses this would involve so I asked in the meeting if I could use the fees collected to defray my costs. This was agreed. I further indemnified PICA and said that if my expenses exceeded the takings I will bear the cost. And that was what happened as you will see later. The fees collected was slightly over RM 1K.
My event was Syuen and that was a very difficult tournament to take off and the biggest in Perak up to that point in time. The sponsor was Tenby International. Why it was so difficult was that the SARS epidemic happened just before the event and many players pulled out. Finally I had to resort to calling players and parents one by one to get them to attend. And to compound the problem many of the committee members did not help. Even on the day of the tournament many that said they will help did not turn up. And finally the whole event was managed by volunteer students and arbiters from Unit Sukan that I paid out of the takings.
So now you can already see that there were not much left of the takings. But of course the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary came at the closing because I had also arranged the sponsorship of food in a private room. Incidentally the President of Penang Chess Association also graced the makan. So at the prize giving ceremony they were on the podium where they claim the event for themselves.
What else did I do during that time? I also met up with Adzlin, the wife of the current Deputy President of MCF who became a future sponsor. I also got the agreement of Dato Tan to sponsor Perak via KLK and I got a meeting at DKLS which Dato Tan also attended who had RM 2 million worth of sponsorship and was keen to sponsor chess.
All this I did with "what was left of the takings" after paying arbiter and volunteer expenses to develop our sponsor network. If I had just added my phone bills there would have been nothing left. It's all on public record.
And so they asked for the accounts to be presented to the full committee. Nothing wrong there. I also requested that the other 2 accounts also be presented at the same time since mine was the 3rd event. Never mind. A meeting was arranged on the day the President knew I was in KL. I asked if the date can be changed for anytime I was in Ipoh. Afterall it was only for me to present my accounts as the other 2 was for the Presidents eye only. I was not allowed the postponement. The meeting was held and I was sacked without my defence being called.
I then wrote in and said that was unfair. I was not even given a chance to present or to defend. I then asked for the matter to be brought up at the next AGM as I wanted to clear my name. It was not brought up. In fact the next AGM itself was hush hush.
I then appealed to MCF and had many meetings with Greg in KL. Greg and Haslinda in Penang. This was difficult to arrange because I felt I needed witnesses. And so I had to make more arrangements to facilitate that.
Greg kept telling me that the matter had gone to Tan Sri as I did not have his contact then. And so I waited for a decision. It never came.
Now lets talk about Fitnah. False accusation. Now I am not a muslim but I have never cheated one cent from anyone in my many years in business. Every cent I made, I earned. I believe in justice and fair play. But this is what I see. I am a Saksi. This things happened to me and I go and make a report to the proper authorities. So I feel its like I go and report to the police that I have been robbed and then the robbers put me in jail.
I have made the reports and I still want my case heard. But they wont give me a hearing and they accuse me cheating. I think what they are practicing is fitnah. So for those that used those words against me I think you should ask your Ustaz or Ulamas what fitnah really means. There are other saksi's too. Ustaz Rahman was in PICA at that time but he may not know the full picture. But Zaki Mahmud, the PT of Perak was there throughout this event. I hope he will speak up to clear my name.
The fact is I was not allowed to present my accounts. But even if the accounts were allowed to be presented, it will be PICA that owes me. What do you think were my expenses over 2 months doing all those things and running the whole event almost single handed. Just add petrol and toll to the other sums for instance. I even had to use the resources of my own company to write the proposals. But PICA was indemnified from paying me. So why did they need to sack me like that? There were many other events that I conducted out of my own pocket. Go look up the history. But if they had allowed me to present and can still say I owe them money RM1K is not a big amount. That is why they do it this way. They had to hold the meeting when I am away. This way they can try to make me look guilty. Is that fitnah also?
If you look at my writings I only comment on available public information. If I talk about Jimmy I refer to his blog. That is also not fitnah. And I talk about my other experiences that I have witnessed first hand. Again I am saksi.
But maybe I can also share some psychological truths here. Those who's hand are dirty will never see this. They will never agree to a hearing because it will also expose them and also tie their hands so they cannot do what they do in the future. And so they must make white black. Fitnah again.
A question was asked on facebook. Why did PICA sack me? Actually there were no grounds given. All I know was that they wanted the accounts when I was not available. I asked for a meeting for the next weekend but that was denied.
So lets look at the PICA issue first. It was from PICA that I got most of my experience on the dirty tricks that some officials in chess practice and why I am able to advice parents and others new to chess today.
When I joined PICA as an official in 2009, this was the situation. There were no strong sponsors for chess and the new committee wanted to bring in more activities. So 3 tournaments were planned and mine was the 3rd. At the full committee meeting I said that I would like to find new sponsors and that I would also like to try in KL as well as in Perak. I wasn't sure how much expenses this would involve so I asked in the meeting if I could use the fees collected to defray my costs. This was agreed. I further indemnified PICA and said that if my expenses exceeded the takings I will bear the cost. And that was what happened as you will see later. The fees collected was slightly over RM 1K.
My event was Syuen and that was a very difficult tournament to take off and the biggest in Perak up to that point in time. The sponsor was Tenby International. Why it was so difficult was that the SARS epidemic happened just before the event and many players pulled out. Finally I had to resort to calling players and parents one by one to get them to attend. And to compound the problem many of the committee members did not help. Even on the day of the tournament many that said they will help did not turn up. And finally the whole event was managed by volunteer students and arbiters from Unit Sukan that I paid out of the takings.
So now you can already see that there were not much left of the takings. But of course the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary came at the closing because I had also arranged the sponsorship of food in a private room. Incidentally the President of Penang Chess Association also graced the makan. So at the prize giving ceremony they were on the podium where they claim the event for themselves.
What else did I do during that time? I also met up with Adzlin, the wife of the current Deputy President of MCF who became a future sponsor. I also got the agreement of Dato Tan to sponsor Perak via KLK and I got a meeting at DKLS which Dato Tan also attended who had RM 2 million worth of sponsorship and was keen to sponsor chess.
All this I did with "what was left of the takings" after paying arbiter and volunteer expenses to develop our sponsor network. If I had just added my phone bills there would have been nothing left. It's all on public record.
And so they asked for the accounts to be presented to the full committee. Nothing wrong there. I also requested that the other 2 accounts also be presented at the same time since mine was the 3rd event. Never mind. A meeting was arranged on the day the President knew I was in KL. I asked if the date can be changed for anytime I was in Ipoh. Afterall it was only for me to present my accounts as the other 2 was for the Presidents eye only. I was not allowed the postponement. The meeting was held and I was sacked without my defence being called.
I then wrote in and said that was unfair. I was not even given a chance to present or to defend. I then asked for the matter to be brought up at the next AGM as I wanted to clear my name. It was not brought up. In fact the next AGM itself was hush hush.
I then appealed to MCF and had many meetings with Greg in KL. Greg and Haslinda in Penang. This was difficult to arrange because I felt I needed witnesses. And so I had to make more arrangements to facilitate that.
Greg kept telling me that the matter had gone to Tan Sri as I did not have his contact then. And so I waited for a decision. It never came.
Now lets talk about Fitnah. False accusation. Now I am not a muslim but I have never cheated one cent from anyone in my many years in business. Every cent I made, I earned. I believe in justice and fair play. But this is what I see. I am a Saksi. This things happened to me and I go and make a report to the proper authorities. So I feel its like I go and report to the police that I have been robbed and then the robbers put me in jail.
I have made the reports and I still want my case heard. But they wont give me a hearing and they accuse me cheating. I think what they are practicing is fitnah. So for those that used those words against me I think you should ask your Ustaz or Ulamas what fitnah really means. There are other saksi's too. Ustaz Rahman was in PICA at that time but he may not know the full picture. But Zaki Mahmud, the PT of Perak was there throughout this event. I hope he will speak up to clear my name.
The fact is I was not allowed to present my accounts. But even if the accounts were allowed to be presented, it will be PICA that owes me. What do you think were my expenses over 2 months doing all those things and running the whole event almost single handed. Just add petrol and toll to the other sums for instance. I even had to use the resources of my own company to write the proposals. But PICA was indemnified from paying me. So why did they need to sack me like that? There were many other events that I conducted out of my own pocket. Go look up the history. But if they had allowed me to present and can still say I owe them money RM1K is not a big amount. That is why they do it this way. They had to hold the meeting when I am away. This way they can try to make me look guilty. Is that fitnah also?
If you look at my writings I only comment on available public information. If I talk about Jimmy I refer to his blog. That is also not fitnah. And I talk about my other experiences that I have witnessed first hand. Again I am saksi.
But maybe I can also share some psychological truths here. Those who's hand are dirty will never see this. They will never agree to a hearing because it will also expose them and also tie their hands so they cannot do what they do in the future. And so they must make white black. Fitnah again.
A question was asked on facebook. Why did PICA sack me? Actually there were no grounds given. All I know was that they wanted the accounts when I was not available. I asked for a meeting for the next weekend but that was denied.
The raising of National Rating fees is a policy decision.
Ref: Here.
According to Fadli, the fee has been raised 100%. A decision like this will affect the entire growth of the private industry of Malaysian chess and is thus a policy decision. As such it should require the endorsement of the full committee of MCF or at the very least full finance committee. It should also be properly minuted and the reasons for the raise properly documented.
From Tse Pin's admission the collected fees is for the Presidents eye only and he has not shown that there is any resolution allowing him to collect the fee in his private capacity. His explanations do not carry water. You do not fix a problem by creating another problem. As such I cannot see this issue as anything other than gross mismanagement and a justified case for investigation under COS.
But there may even be more under the surface. As I have mentioned before, the accounts being for the President's eyes only was also practiced in PICA during my term. My suspicion at that time was that this allows preferential charges to different committee members whilst all doing PICA work.
If we extrapolate this assumption of suspicion then the fees can also be charged differentially by MCF. To weak crony organisers a lower rate and used as a tool to punish better organisers. And all this will be done without the knowledge of the committee of MCF while using their authority to execute the decision.
The only other advice I can offer to affected organisers besides reporting to COS, is not to pay the increased fee unless the full resolution is shown. And I also suggest that the money continue to be paid into MCF account. This is an MCF problem that they must fix it. And they still have to do the National Rating responsibly or the matter can become a legal case and MCF sued for damages.
From what I can see this is another very blatant case of abuse of power and it should be stopped.
This post will be sent to the MCF committee members including the President and Secretary, to the Asian Chess Federations as well as Fide for their attention.
According to Fadli, the fee has been raised 100%. A decision like this will affect the entire growth of the private industry of Malaysian chess and is thus a policy decision. As such it should require the endorsement of the full committee of MCF or at the very least full finance committee. It should also be properly minuted and the reasons for the raise properly documented.
From Tse Pin's admission the collected fees is for the Presidents eye only and he has not shown that there is any resolution allowing him to collect the fee in his private capacity. His explanations do not carry water. You do not fix a problem by creating another problem. As such I cannot see this issue as anything other than gross mismanagement and a justified case for investigation under COS.
But there may even be more under the surface. As I have mentioned before, the accounts being for the President's eyes only was also practiced in PICA during my term. My suspicion at that time was that this allows preferential charges to different committee members whilst all doing PICA work.
If we extrapolate this assumption of suspicion then the fees can also be charged differentially by MCF. To weak crony organisers a lower rate and used as a tool to punish better organisers. And all this will be done without the knowledge of the committee of MCF while using their authority to execute the decision.
The only other advice I can offer to affected organisers besides reporting to COS, is not to pay the increased fee unless the full resolution is shown. And I also suggest that the money continue to be paid into MCF account. This is an MCF problem that they must fix it. And they still have to do the National Rating responsibly or the matter can become a legal case and MCF sued for damages.
From what I can see this is another very blatant case of abuse of power and it should be stopped.
This post will be sent to the MCF committee members including the President and Secretary, to the Asian Chess Federations as well as Fide for their attention.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
What does Malaysian Chess need in the President and Secretary?
What attributes do we need in our President and Secretary so that our chess can flourish? This is a big question and if we don't get it right, we'll still be here for the next 30 years.
Can we start from this position? Can we say we need sponsors that won't mess with our selection process? Can we agree that the sponsors we now have do not really add value? They come in every 2 years or so to contribute but they take a lot out in between. Read this. Here. The entire chess industry is carried daily by the parents and players so why should we cede such influence to them for the little drop that they "contribute"? The worst example of this arrogance was displayed by Peter at Mal/Sing 2010 when with a mere RM1,500 of promised sponsorship he tried to derail the entire contingent when every single parent there had spent a lot more than that.
So far everything has been framed in the negative. But it's important to know what we don't want first. So what do we really want? I am sure we all realise that there are good sponsors who sponsors sports right? Everyday we see them spending money in our mass media. Now that is good money and consistent money. But what do they look for? They will not be interested in Jimmy Liew. In fact if we showcase him they will kick us out of the door. We need to compete for this big money not the scraps of lousy sponsors.
Results. They want results. Or at a minimum, they want a realistic plan. You cannot go to them with plans like this. See this. Here. He cannot answer one straight question. His experience extends to only the U8 by his own admission and he has not even shown any success with them. That is why we become a laughing stock and only good for a few crumbs every now and then.
And our President needs to pitch for chess from the sponsors that believe in sports as a way of branding/advertising and not beg for money or empty his own pockets for a failed cause. So we need a plan. And for that we need ideas. So where will ideas come from?
Now lets look at the role of the Secretary. Right now we have a half baked politician who doesn't know what he is doing. His actual role is to administer chess and help set up good policies and guideline. But he uses MCF to bash his competitors for him and for his cronies. Now why is that so bad? Ideas actually come from the independent organisers and trainer/coaches. Right now its the weak protect the weak club.
The Secretary need to help implement the Vision of a strong President. And the President needs to position us to get to the big money. And for that to happen we need policies and guidelines that is fair to all. With more successful independents more ideas will come as they struggle to improve. That means if Jimmy wants to continue to play for Malaysia he has to compete here in Malaysia first. That means if Peter wants to continue to strut he has to produce strong players himself. Not ban the players from other Academies etc etc. You get the drift.
That means we must raise our standards, not pull each other down from our own fears and insecurities. And we must all work together to achieve this. Gens Una Sumus.
Can we start from this position? Can we say we need sponsors that won't mess with our selection process? Can we agree that the sponsors we now have do not really add value? They come in every 2 years or so to contribute but they take a lot out in between. Read this. Here. The entire chess industry is carried daily by the parents and players so why should we cede such influence to them for the little drop that they "contribute"? The worst example of this arrogance was displayed by Peter at Mal/Sing 2010 when with a mere RM1,500 of promised sponsorship he tried to derail the entire contingent when every single parent there had spent a lot more than that.
So far everything has been framed in the negative. But it's important to know what we don't want first. So what do we really want? I am sure we all realise that there are good sponsors who sponsors sports right? Everyday we see them spending money in our mass media. Now that is good money and consistent money. But what do they look for? They will not be interested in Jimmy Liew. In fact if we showcase him they will kick us out of the door. We need to compete for this big money not the scraps of lousy sponsors.
Results. They want results. Or at a minimum, they want a realistic plan. You cannot go to them with plans like this. See this. Here. He cannot answer one straight question. His experience extends to only the U8 by his own admission and he has not even shown any success with them. That is why we become a laughing stock and only good for a few crumbs every now and then.
And our President needs to pitch for chess from the sponsors that believe in sports as a way of branding/advertising and not beg for money or empty his own pockets for a failed cause. So we need a plan. And for that we need ideas. So where will ideas come from?
Now lets look at the role of the Secretary. Right now we have a half baked politician who doesn't know what he is doing. His actual role is to administer chess and help set up good policies and guideline. But he uses MCF to bash his competitors for him and for his cronies. Now why is that so bad? Ideas actually come from the independent organisers and trainer/coaches. Right now its the weak protect the weak club.
The Secretary need to help implement the Vision of a strong President. And the President needs to position us to get to the big money. And for that to happen we need policies and guidelines that is fair to all. With more successful independents more ideas will come as they struggle to improve. That means if Jimmy wants to continue to play for Malaysia he has to compete here in Malaysia first. That means if Peter wants to continue to strut he has to produce strong players himself. Not ban the players from other Academies etc etc. You get the drift.
That means we must raise our standards, not pull each other down from our own fears and insecurities. And we must all work together to achieve this. Gens Una Sumus.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Further the Tse Pin debate.
Ref: Here.
This is Tse Pin's reply to my comments.
"I think you have sensationalized the issue. The amt quoted was tabled in the Council meeting and everyone who attended the meeting are aware of the situation. The main weakness is nobody within MCF Finance Dept (Sub-committee) actually follow thru the implementation process, so it leads to inefficiency. When I commented on Fadli's posting, the intention is to give some in-sight on what's going before it leads to major accusation on rating fee disappeared under a personal account. Fyi, rating fees collected / uncollected for each event are well documented for President's eye".
I think it is healthy that Tse Pin has replied but perhaps he has not yet realised the gravity of his earlier public statement. This allows us an insight into MCF processes by a committee member. The first thing I want to point out is that the MCF Finance committee is just an eye wash according to my sources and in reality there is only one man calling the shots. But even if that was not the case, can I ask why the sudden need to clear the debt with Tse Pin now? What has happened to all the money collected during Asian Amateur and the mysterious deal with multiple sponsors at the Melaka event?
The fact is that MCF has never produced any project accounts and that in itself is mismanagement of public funds.
Notwithstanding Tse Pin's argument that the Rating fees was tabled and accepted by the full committee, it doesn't extend to the monies collected being allowed to be paid into his private account. Even if that is not improper he will still need a resolution from the same full committee to allow that and not just the word of the Secretary. This is all very improper and I believe is strong grounds for investigation by COS. I believe those parties asked to do so can lodge a formal complaint with COS.
But there is another impropriety that I also raised during my time in PICA. The accounts cannot be for the eyes of the President only. MCF is an NGO handling public money. The accounts should be tabled to the full committee and submitted at the AGM for the member Associations to vet and question.
An aside: ( It was my strong suspicion at that time that this practice allows the President to give preferential treatment to his cronies without the awareness of the rest of the committee. And ultimately, in law, the full committee bears the responsibility upon an investigation)
Now since this has never to my knowledge been done before, I wonder what accounts for the President's eye only really mean in MCF? Doesn't this also raise strong suspicion of vote buying? We know that the AGM is looming and I hear stories almost daily of Greg scrambling for votes.
So Tse Pin, my advice is to keep your name clean. This could be a trap for you. Once you accept that money you will be in the same boat. I don't think your reputation is only worth RM4K. I think you are worth far more than that.
This whole MCF affair is really starting to stink and there are people highly offended by the way things are done. Things are coming to a head and it may explode in your face.
I am non partisan in the struggle for post but I do stand for what is good for Malaysian chess having experienced first hand myself how vicious MCF politics can be. And that means I stand for good governance and transparency.
So in this case, I believe Fadli is in a strong position and correct in bringing this matter up for public debate. And this case is really only the tip of the iceberg. Once a report is lodged it is going to open a big big can of worms. 30 plus years worth.
So like I said before, why don't you guys play nice and give ground to the legitimate and very reasonable and proper demands of affected parents, national players as well as independent organisers, trainers and coaches. A legal battle is not good for Malaysian chess. But the rights of the entire chess community cannot be highjacked by a few opportunists. That is what I am urging all parties to consider before the upcoming AGM.
For a reasonable discussion cut out the lies and BS. That just adds insult to injury. Try that. Sit down and talk properly like officers and gentlemen.
This is Tse Pin's reply to my comments.
"I think you have sensationalized the issue. The amt quoted was tabled in the Council meeting and everyone who attended the meeting are aware of the situation. The main weakness is nobody within MCF Finance Dept (Sub-committee) actually follow thru the implementation process, so it leads to inefficiency. When I commented on Fadli's posting, the intention is to give some in-sight on what's going before it leads to major accusation on rating fee disappeared under a personal account. Fyi, rating fees collected / uncollected for each event are well documented for President's eye".
I think it is healthy that Tse Pin has replied but perhaps he has not yet realised the gravity of his earlier public statement. This allows us an insight into MCF processes by a committee member. The first thing I want to point out is that the MCF Finance committee is just an eye wash according to my sources and in reality there is only one man calling the shots. But even if that was not the case, can I ask why the sudden need to clear the debt with Tse Pin now? What has happened to all the money collected during Asian Amateur and the mysterious deal with multiple sponsors at the Melaka event?
The fact is that MCF has never produced any project accounts and that in itself is mismanagement of public funds.
Notwithstanding Tse Pin's argument that the Rating fees was tabled and accepted by the full committee, it doesn't extend to the monies collected being allowed to be paid into his private account. Even if that is not improper he will still need a resolution from the same full committee to allow that and not just the word of the Secretary. This is all very improper and I believe is strong grounds for investigation by COS. I believe those parties asked to do so can lodge a formal complaint with COS.
But there is another impropriety that I also raised during my time in PICA. The accounts cannot be for the eyes of the President only. MCF is an NGO handling public money. The accounts should be tabled to the full committee and submitted at the AGM for the member Associations to vet and question.
An aside: ( It was my strong suspicion at that time that this practice allows the President to give preferential treatment to his cronies without the awareness of the rest of the committee. And ultimately, in law, the full committee bears the responsibility upon an investigation)
Now since this has never to my knowledge been done before, I wonder what accounts for the President's eye only really mean in MCF? Doesn't this also raise strong suspicion of vote buying? We know that the AGM is looming and I hear stories almost daily of Greg scrambling for votes.
So Tse Pin, my advice is to keep your name clean. This could be a trap for you. Once you accept that money you will be in the same boat. I don't think your reputation is only worth RM4K. I think you are worth far more than that.
This whole MCF affair is really starting to stink and there are people highly offended by the way things are done. Things are coming to a head and it may explode in your face.
I am non partisan in the struggle for post but I do stand for what is good for Malaysian chess having experienced first hand myself how vicious MCF politics can be. And that means I stand for good governance and transparency.
So in this case, I believe Fadli is in a strong position and correct in bringing this matter up for public debate. And this case is really only the tip of the iceberg. Once a report is lodged it is going to open a big big can of worms. 30 plus years worth.
So like I said before, why don't you guys play nice and give ground to the legitimate and very reasonable and proper demands of affected parents, national players as well as independent organisers, trainers and coaches. A legal battle is not good for Malaysian chess. But the rights of the entire chess community cannot be highjacked by a few opportunists. That is what I am urging all parties to consider before the upcoming AGM.
For a reasonable discussion cut out the lies and BS. That just adds insult to injury. Try that. Sit down and talk properly like officers and gentlemen.
What belongs to MCF must stay with MCF.
I recently had a discussion with some people concerned about the deepening rot within MCF. This is what I said. I used the example of Hamid in my explanation but the person could just as easily be Greg.
When Hamid was the Secretary of MCF, he collected a lot of contacts. Now the question is, do the contacts belong to MCF or Hamid? Today we have Hamid the private organiser in DATCC and Hamid the committee member of MCF. One Hamid serves his own pocket and the other Hamid serves the chess community in MCF.
So lets use the coming Kelantan Open for the sake of discussion. They are thinking of using 45 minutes. That means it won't be Standard Fide rated. To me that's a shame. It will take almost the same effort to do a Standard Fide rated event if that was what was needed. So what will Kelantan need to do that? First of all do we agree that there is a need for more Standard Fide rated tournaments in Malaysia? Don't we have enough rapid events now? And if so doesn't the contacts that Hamid collected belong to MCF and so needs to be shared with Kelantan too? Then Kelantan can also get more Fide rated players and we will be growing another event for Malaysia.
I argued that so long as Hamid remains in MCF then those contacts belong to MCF and so must be shared. If Hamid does not share then he must leave MCF and go fully private to remain within his rights.
Now this is important. MCF cannot be used for private enterprise. MCF belongs to all State Associations which belongs to all its members ie the chess community. And so MCF resources must not be subverted for private gain.
Note: I also don't think there is a need for big prize money if you are just starting out. That can come later when Kelantan has done a few Open events and have won the confidence of sponsors. The chess community will understand and support the effort to raise Malaysian standards in chess.
When Hamid was the Secretary of MCF, he collected a lot of contacts. Now the question is, do the contacts belong to MCF or Hamid? Today we have Hamid the private organiser in DATCC and Hamid the committee member of MCF. One Hamid serves his own pocket and the other Hamid serves the chess community in MCF.
So lets use the coming Kelantan Open for the sake of discussion. They are thinking of using 45 minutes. That means it won't be Standard Fide rated. To me that's a shame. It will take almost the same effort to do a Standard Fide rated event if that was what was needed. So what will Kelantan need to do that? First of all do we agree that there is a need for more Standard Fide rated tournaments in Malaysia? Don't we have enough rapid events now? And if so doesn't the contacts that Hamid collected belong to MCF and so needs to be shared with Kelantan too? Then Kelantan can also get more Fide rated players and we will be growing another event for Malaysia.
I argued that so long as Hamid remains in MCF then those contacts belong to MCF and so must be shared. If Hamid does not share then he must leave MCF and go fully private to remain within his rights.
Now this is important. MCF cannot be used for private enterprise. MCF belongs to all State Associations which belongs to all its members ie the chess community. And so MCF resources must not be subverted for private gain.
Note: I also don't think there is a need for big prize money if you are just starting out. That can come later when Kelantan has done a few Open events and have won the confidence of sponsors. The chess community will understand and support the effort to raise Malaysian standards in chess.
Would you prefer to be a Malaysian M or Ian?
Ref: Here. Please see comments.
If my memory serves me right, Ian did not even have a Fide rating when he first came to Malaysia. His journey is interesting to me because I use him to track what can be achieved if you are not sabotaged by MCF. Just his own resolve and determination outside of MCF politics. Given the resources that have poured into MCF since Ian first came to our shores, we could have easily produced our own GM and very possibly more than one if we had direction and no abuse of power and/or abuse of our own players.
Now do you see what happens when we worship our losers, when we raise high on the pedestal those who are robbing our Associations blind, those that ban our players without grounds, those that fix matches etc.
That is the main reason why we do not have our own GM. We have people destroying our strong chess players from within. Them and their cronies/supporters.
And Ian doesn't even have an M in front of his name. But he soundly wacks our strutting M's when they have the guts to actually play. So how do you value the worth of a Malaysian M now?
Question. What do you think would have happened to him if he was Malaysian and doing as well as he is now? What would they have done if he was eligible for Malaysian sponsorship? Very honestly I think he deserves sponsorship because he is showing us the way. He is showing us something we need to learn about ourselves.
If my memory serves me right, Ian did not even have a Fide rating when he first came to Malaysia. His journey is interesting to me because I use him to track what can be achieved if you are not sabotaged by MCF. Just his own resolve and determination outside of MCF politics. Given the resources that have poured into MCF since Ian first came to our shores, we could have easily produced our own GM and very possibly more than one if we had direction and no abuse of power and/or abuse of our own players.
Now do you see what happens when we worship our losers, when we raise high on the pedestal those who are robbing our Associations blind, those that ban our players without grounds, those that fix matches etc.
That is the main reason why we do not have our own GM. We have people destroying our strong chess players from within. Them and their cronies/supporters.
And Ian doesn't even have an M in front of his name. But he soundly wacks our strutting M's when they have the guts to actually play. So how do you value the worth of a Malaysian M now?
Question. What do you think would have happened to him if he was Malaysian and doing as well as he is now? What would they have done if he was eligible for Malaysian sponsorship? Very honestly I think he deserves sponsorship because he is showing us the way. He is showing us something we need to learn about ourselves.
Lim Tse Pin accuses MCF.
Tse Pin is a committee member as well as the rating officer for MCF. He was accused on facebook as well as comments here by a private organiser of banking public money into his personal account. His response on facebook public forum below:
"To set the record straight. I'm the one who propose to MCF that all NR monies should be bank into MCF account wef from 2010 under the new rating fee scheme which will generate approx. RM 8,000 to 10,000/yr for MCF fund. The main committee agreed, however, the implementation side is not efficient and effective. For the two years, I was not paid 1 sen from MCF account due to lack of funds despite some organisers made payment into MCF account. By end 2011, MCF has owed me RM 4,043/= on rating fee for 800hrs of donkey effort. This alone could have made me the single largest creditor of MCF. MCF has realised the shortcoming and thus allowed me to collect the rating fee on behalf to off-set the money owed to me. All suplus monies will be handed back into MCF account once the debt of RM 4,043 is cleared".
From the above it is patently obvious that MCF has no clue as to the proper legal procedure for handling public money. This alone is grounds for investigation into mismanagement of funds in MCF by COS. And in my mind, if we add the cost involved in paying for the Fide Organisers Course by Greg and Haslinda, this can very quickly turn into CBT. Greg and Haslinda has to show that the Fide Organisers Course is for the benefit of Malaysian chess as well as the decision was ratified by the committee or it becomes abuse of power for private gain. And that is a criminal offence.
If we add the testimony of the sponsor for the Asian Amateur who's money was taken out of MCF without consent, the recent fraud against the Malaysian chess community in the sham selection for Olympiad etc etc, some of these people can go to jail.
Now you can see why asking MCF to correct abuses in the system is a waste of time. Ref: Here. The problems originate in MCF itself. Hopefully the people involved in these abuses will have the wisdom to quietly resign at the next AGM or this matter can blow up in their face. As it is, it may already be too late from what I hear from the ground.
But I think a quiet withdrawal may persuade those people who truly love chess not to pursue those of you that have damaged Malaysian chess for so many years now. But that is just my opinion.
"To set the record straight. I'm the one who propose to MCF that all NR monies should be bank into MCF account wef from 2010 under the new rating fee scheme which will generate approx. RM 8,000 to 10,000/yr for MCF fund. The main committee agreed, however, the implementation side is not efficient and effective. For the two years, I was not paid 1 sen from MCF account due to lack of funds despite some organisers made payment into MCF account. By end 2011, MCF has owed me RM 4,043/= on rating fee for 800hrs of donkey effort. This alone could have made me the single largest creditor of MCF. MCF has realised the shortcoming and thus allowed me to collect the rating fee on behalf to off-set the money owed to me. All suplus monies will be handed back into MCF account once the debt of RM 4,043 is cleared".
From the above it is patently obvious that MCF has no clue as to the proper legal procedure for handling public money. This alone is grounds for investigation into mismanagement of funds in MCF by COS. And in my mind, if we add the cost involved in paying for the Fide Organisers Course by Greg and Haslinda, this can very quickly turn into CBT. Greg and Haslinda has to show that the Fide Organisers Course is for the benefit of Malaysian chess as well as the decision was ratified by the committee or it becomes abuse of power for private gain. And that is a criminal offence.
If we add the testimony of the sponsor for the Asian Amateur who's money was taken out of MCF without consent, the recent fraud against the Malaysian chess community in the sham selection for Olympiad etc etc, some of these people can go to jail.
Now you can see why asking MCF to correct abuses in the system is a waste of time. Ref: Here. The problems originate in MCF itself. Hopefully the people involved in these abuses will have the wisdom to quietly resign at the next AGM or this matter can blow up in their face. As it is, it may already be too late from what I hear from the ground.
But I think a quiet withdrawal may persuade those people who truly love chess not to pursue those of you that have damaged Malaysian chess for so many years now. But that is just my opinion.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Should this case be investigated?
Ref: Here.
I have been reading with interest at the baying for the blood of Zaki Yeop of Insofar. This is what I think. Zaki has come clean and promised to redress the issue. Isn't that more commendable and what we should encourage? So just give him a fixed timeframe to make good his word.
But nothing has been said about what I think is a far more serious offence since I first reported it. If you look at the link above, you will find that the general public is involved. This brings all of chess into disrepute. And there has been no public admission or a promise to redress the issue.
So how do we decide which case to pursue? If it's my friend I say nothing?
But please note that I do not advocate criminal proceedings if that is avoidable. Why? Because we have had no proper guidelines for years. Maybe right from inception. So we need a set of those guidelines quickly. And that is the job of MCF.
Let me give another example of how confused things are in Malaysian chess now. Right after Peter tried to ban a National player without grounds, he was rewarded for his good works by giving him the national rapid and blitz. Now we all know Peter; he is not very smart and he has zero emotional control or intelligence. So it got to his head and he immediately tried to set national policies since he thought he was now in the good books of MCF after his one good deed for them. And the events got taken from him. What can I say?
So you see, our mind sport has been taken over by people who are no mental giants. So we need to slowly teach them the basics again, a little like kindergarden. Give them a warning when they cross the line. Don't reward them. The whole of Malaysia is looking at what is right and wrong now. Learn from that. Actually Malaysian chess has been lost in lalaland for a long long time now. We are even much further behind than the average man on the street as I think the comments on the facebook link above will show. Much better arguments than what we see on our chess blogs right?
So don't keep telling people that chess makes you smart unless you can show it by example. It is very embarrasing.
I have been reading with interest at the baying for the blood of Zaki Yeop of Insofar. This is what I think. Zaki has come clean and promised to redress the issue. Isn't that more commendable and what we should encourage? So just give him a fixed timeframe to make good his word.
But nothing has been said about what I think is a far more serious offence since I first reported it. If you look at the link above, you will find that the general public is involved. This brings all of chess into disrepute. And there has been no public admission or a promise to redress the issue.
So how do we decide which case to pursue? If it's my friend I say nothing?
But please note that I do not advocate criminal proceedings if that is avoidable. Why? Because we have had no proper guidelines for years. Maybe right from inception. So we need a set of those guidelines quickly. And that is the job of MCF.
Let me give another example of how confused things are in Malaysian chess now. Right after Peter tried to ban a National player without grounds, he was rewarded for his good works by giving him the national rapid and blitz. Now we all know Peter; he is not very smart and he has zero emotional control or intelligence. So it got to his head and he immediately tried to set national policies since he thought he was now in the good books of MCF after his one good deed for them. And the events got taken from him. What can I say?
So you see, our mind sport has been taken over by people who are no mental giants. So we need to slowly teach them the basics again, a little like kindergarden. Give them a warning when they cross the line. Don't reward them. The whole of Malaysia is looking at what is right and wrong now. Learn from that. Actually Malaysian chess has been lost in lalaland for a long long time now. We are even much further behind than the average man on the street as I think the comments on the facebook link above will show. Much better arguments than what we see on our chess blogs right?
So don't keep telling people that chess makes you smart unless you can show it by example. It is very embarrasing.
What has MCF been doing all these years?
I have not heard of MCF taking any action against errant Associations, errant officials, errant players, errant organisers or errant arbiters. I have not heard of an investigation against accusations of money disappearing from MCF itself, acts against the general public. Not even one. Have you?
But I have heard and experienced first hand of actions taken by people inside MCF against good programs, good organisers and good players who have not broken the rules. Their acts of sabotage against the Malaysian chess community is legion.
So can anyone tell me what earthly use is the current MCF doing for Malaysian chess? I get the distinct impression that they only exist for the select self interest of a few people. Am I wrong in this?
In fact doesn't it seem like the more errant your behaviour the greater the reward?
Should Fide allow us another Federation so that those few people can continue to play the games they want in this MCF if they do not want to change? And we can put in our energy to developing our players with proper training, proper tournaments and selection in another Federation without further hindrance from them. There is a place for all under the Fide sky. We are all one people. Ref: Here.
We can rename the current MCF the Match fixers Chess Federation so people will not be confused about what they are really signing up for.
But I have heard and experienced first hand of actions taken by people inside MCF against good programs, good organisers and good players who have not broken the rules. Their acts of sabotage against the Malaysian chess community is legion.
So can anyone tell me what earthly use is the current MCF doing for Malaysian chess? I get the distinct impression that they only exist for the select self interest of a few people. Am I wrong in this?
In fact doesn't it seem like the more errant your behaviour the greater the reward?
Should Fide allow us another Federation so that those few people can continue to play the games they want in this MCF if they do not want to change? And we can put in our energy to developing our players with proper training, proper tournaments and selection in another Federation without further hindrance from them. There is a place for all under the Fide sky. We are all one people. Ref: Here.
We can rename the current MCF the Match fixers Chess Federation so people will not be confused about what they are really signing up for.
National Rapid and Blitz 2012
Ref: Here.
I always have full confidence that there is no hanky panky when Ustaz Rahman is involved. The other events that I have been to and not heard anything bad about is events held by CAS and Penang. I am sure there are other good organisers and arbiters. We need to make them known so as to promote them further.
I always have full confidence that there is no hanky panky when Ustaz Rahman is involved. The other events that I have been to and not heard anything bad about is events held by CAS and Penang. I am sure there are other good organisers and arbiters. We need to make them known so as to promote them further.
Musings.
At the junior level we pay ie parents. We pay to play in Asean, Asian (Youth and Junior) and World (Youth and Junior).
At the senior level they pay. The government paid for SEA games and private sponsors pay for the Olympiads. But for the Olympiads the sponsorship is only given secretly to the back door dealers. Now why is this?
What consideration has been given to all the sacrifice in time, money and energy for all those years developing the juniors by all the rest of us? Who gave you the right to take away selection?
Who are these people who think they can just shove our years of sacrifice away just like that? Do we now have to come on our hands and knees to beg you for a place too? And if we all come on our hands and knees to you, will you now pay for all of us too? What is your criteria to enter the back door? Must we "train" under Jimmy or Peter as your go to person? What if we don't think highly of their skills or methods? At least state the criteria clearly so we too have a chance to decide whether we will sell our dignity to you or Not.
At the senior level they pay. The government paid for SEA games and private sponsors pay for the Olympiads. But for the Olympiads the sponsorship is only given secretly to the back door dealers. Now why is this?
What consideration has been given to all the sacrifice in time, money and energy for all those years developing the juniors by all the rest of us? Who gave you the right to take away selection?
Who are these people who think they can just shove our years of sacrifice away just like that? Do we now have to come on our hands and knees to beg you for a place too? And if we all come on our hands and knees to you, will you now pay for all of us too? What is your criteria to enter the back door? Must we "train" under Jimmy or Peter as your go to person? What if we don't think highly of their skills or methods? At least state the criteria clearly so we too have a chance to decide whether we will sell our dignity to you or Not.
Can our M's beat Ian?
Read here. And he is a 2100 plus. So Ian is a blessing for Malaysia isn't he? He is here to tell us to wake up and to stop listening to the lies of a number of our M's. At least Mas has the guts to play. But really all our M's should play in every Fide rated tournament in Malaysia. Then they will find their true position instead of hiding behind invented lies. Ian is a 2100. Wake up! He is making mince meat out of you guys that talk so much and walk with such swagger. Shame on you. Thank you Ian for showing this to us so convincingly.
Illegitimate influence of sponsors in Malaysian chess?
Perhaps the clearest example of this influence happens with the Olympiads. Who actually funds the Olympiad has always been shrouded in mystery. This is a little peculiar if we think about it. Most sponsors want to be known. Sponsorship of sporting events is akin to advertising.
So I think it is reasonable to assume that there must be some other agenda. I have struggled with trying to understand what this agenda could be and I can't come up with anything better than that they just want to play God.
It's a supreme statement of arrogance directed against the people who fund chess around the year. Year after year come rain or shine; thunderstorms or natural calamities. Yes, I am talking about the parents. They don't just fund the one off tournaments but all tournaments. They fund the travel and expenses; they fund the training.
It's a supreme act of arrogance directed against the players. Those that studies chess, takes the stress of tournaments, struggle to improve. All that time and energy as well as money spent counts for nothing in those people's eyes.
Every two years they decide who gets to play for Malaysia. And they ignore the results of the actual selection. They know better than the objective test of a tournament. In that one statement every 2 years they tell everybody in the chess community that their contributions means nothing. That these people who hides in the dark know better and the senior squad of Malaysia has decayed as a result. (There has only been one junior player who won his place in a proper selection for the senior squad. And that player was hammered publicly for the audacity of winning and selection quickly withdrawn after that).
But do these sponsors really know better? Think about it. Could that be the reason why we have such PR campaigns in Malaysia touting certain players before the event? Could that be the reason why certain tournaments seem suspect and pairings appear to be manipulated? Could this be the genesis of our sick chess culture? The bannings without grounds etc. Is it to justify the sponsors decision that is not based on chess?
I mean why do it this way if those guys are really the superior players?
What is the result of all these illicit influence? Are we not sending kup chai's who think they are Ferrari's into battle for us? Are we not sending players before they are ready and thus jeopardising their future in chess? Why do this when we have better players?
Now the big question before us is should we respect the people who insults us in such a manner. Have they not damaged Malaysian chess for these 30 plus years? Have they not given the Malaysian chess community huge problems to overcome instead of a toolbox to develop to the next level.
How long will it now take for us to undo this terrible damage to Malaysian chess. In which direction has Malaysian chess been travelling for the last 30 years plus relative to our neighbours, relative to the world. Once we taught chess to China.
Can we put a stop to this at the next AGM and start our journey forward again?
Question: Is that why we look so hard at the games around the world? Could it be that it is too painful to watch our kup chai's crash and burn and turning into bicycles? Can we change this so that we too will see Malaysian Champions instead of just reading about other people's achievements?
So I think it is reasonable to assume that there must be some other agenda. I have struggled with trying to understand what this agenda could be and I can't come up with anything better than that they just want to play God.
It's a supreme statement of arrogance directed against the people who fund chess around the year. Year after year come rain or shine; thunderstorms or natural calamities. Yes, I am talking about the parents. They don't just fund the one off tournaments but all tournaments. They fund the travel and expenses; they fund the training.
It's a supreme act of arrogance directed against the players. Those that studies chess, takes the stress of tournaments, struggle to improve. All that time and energy as well as money spent counts for nothing in those people's eyes.
Every two years they decide who gets to play for Malaysia. And they ignore the results of the actual selection. They know better than the objective test of a tournament. In that one statement every 2 years they tell everybody in the chess community that their contributions means nothing. That these people who hides in the dark know better and the senior squad of Malaysia has decayed as a result. (There has only been one junior player who won his place in a proper selection for the senior squad. And that player was hammered publicly for the audacity of winning and selection quickly withdrawn after that).
But do these sponsors really know better? Think about it. Could that be the reason why we have such PR campaigns in Malaysia touting certain players before the event? Could that be the reason why certain tournaments seem suspect and pairings appear to be manipulated? Could this be the genesis of our sick chess culture? The bannings without grounds etc. Is it to justify the sponsors decision that is not based on chess?
I mean why do it this way if those guys are really the superior players?
What is the result of all these illicit influence? Are we not sending kup chai's who think they are Ferrari's into battle for us? Are we not sending players before they are ready and thus jeopardising their future in chess? Why do this when we have better players?
Now the big question before us is should we respect the people who insults us in such a manner. Have they not damaged Malaysian chess for these 30 plus years? Have they not given the Malaysian chess community huge problems to overcome instead of a toolbox to develop to the next level.
How long will it now take for us to undo this terrible damage to Malaysian chess. In which direction has Malaysian chess been travelling for the last 30 years plus relative to our neighbours, relative to the world. Once we taught chess to China.
Can we put a stop to this at the next AGM and start our journey forward again?
Question: Is that why we look so hard at the games around the world? Could it be that it is too painful to watch our kup chai's crash and burn and turning into bicycles? Can we change this so that we too will see Malaysian Champions instead of just reading about other people's achievements?
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Interview with IM Lim Yee Weng with games.
Read here.
Yee Weng is the only IM we have that I see as still serious and training hard to move forward so this is really a good interview in learning how not to give up. I find him a well grounded young man although I do not agree with him that there was any selection for the Olympiad. That was obviously the biggest fraud perpetuated on the Malaysian chess community in recent times. However I believe that if there was a proper selection we would still find Yee Weng on the team. He is a good example to emulate.
Note: Yee Weng has no fear of showing his games. This to me is because he believes he is continuing to improve and learn. You will find all strong players with this mindset. This is important if you are not to be captive to fear.
Yee Weng is the only IM we have that I see as still serious and training hard to move forward so this is really a good interview in learning how not to give up. I find him a well grounded young man although I do not agree with him that there was any selection for the Olympiad. That was obviously the biggest fraud perpetuated on the Malaysian chess community in recent times. However I believe that if there was a proper selection we would still find Yee Weng on the team. He is a good example to emulate.
Note: Yee Weng has no fear of showing his games. This to me is because he believes he is continuing to improve and learn. You will find all strong players with this mindset. This is important if you are not to be captive to fear.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Peter steps up to the plate.
I was just informed that Peter has taken the job of coaching our National Master Roshan for World Youth in Slovenia. This is quite an honour for Peter given that he got some egg on his face after touting for Li Tian for the Olympiad.
So Peter, this is the correct way to go to build up your reputation as a trainer/coach. Keep improving your skills and do justice to Roshan's trust in you. I hope that you do a good job. That is the only way to regain your lost confidence. And if you succeed in bringing Roshan to the next level, maybe you won't feel the need to try and ban other players without grounds anymore. All my best to you.
So Peter, this is the correct way to go to build up your reputation as a trainer/coach. Keep improving your skills and do justice to Roshan's trust in you. I hope that you do a good job. That is the only way to regain your lost confidence. And if you succeed in bringing Roshan to the next level, maybe you won't feel the need to try and ban other players without grounds anymore. All my best to you.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Another writer's view of process.
Read here.
Have you ever wondered why Malaysian chess as a mental sport is even further behind the general public in asking the right questions and in thinking skills? We seem to be trapped in a bubble of self deception. Shouldn't we be in the lead; teaching thinking skills to the general public? Look around you, look at the quality of thinking of the people at the vanguard of Malaysian chess. Are you impressed?
Have you ever wondered why Malaysian chess as a mental sport is even further behind the general public in asking the right questions and in thinking skills? We seem to be trapped in a bubble of self deception. Shouldn't we be in the lead; teaching thinking skills to the general public? Look around you, look at the quality of thinking of the people at the vanguard of Malaysian chess. Are you impressed?
Conflict of Interests.
If one sits down and think through why MCF is the way it is, I believe the answer must be about conflict of interests.
But let us look at how our Presidents are chosen first. Usually they are people who are too busy to look into the running of the organisation and have little knowledge on the policies and guidelines that MCF will need to progress. That is the first problem. Our Presidents are just used as cash cows by the officials for the officials "game".
If that is the case, we can now see that having officials who are trainers, organisers or parents who are looking for the back doors can become a big problem. And this problem is further compounded if the trainers are not any good, the organisers are bad business people and the parents do not have children who can make it on their own without crutches. See the problem now?
So each will use the Associations for their own desperate need to survive. Another way of looking at it is the weak propping up the weak. And in collusion they need to get rid of anyone who do not follow their primary agenda of self interest. That is why the good people are forced to leave. That is why our strong players who can make it on their own needs to be broken.
Why? Otherwise it makes them look bad. Do you think there is any truth to what I say?
And they even use that authority to attack their competitors ie better trainers and coaches, better players, better organisers.
But if we don't have those people we will have no one to populate the committees? True to an extent. That is why we need good policies and guidelines so that none may abuse their authority. And for that we need a strong President for they will not give up all their illicit privileges easily.
So the President is important. I hope the people who are looking to run for the Presidency will consider carefully why they are coming into chess. To help Malaysian Chess prosper so that we can once again stand tall in the International arena or otherwise. Please ask yourself that question.
Apart from that I wish you all every success. May the best man/woman win. We very badly need a strong man/woman President with a Vision who can lead us forward. But it won't be easy. The rot is very deep.
But let us look at how our Presidents are chosen first. Usually they are people who are too busy to look into the running of the organisation and have little knowledge on the policies and guidelines that MCF will need to progress. That is the first problem. Our Presidents are just used as cash cows by the officials for the officials "game".
If that is the case, we can now see that having officials who are trainers, organisers or parents who are looking for the back doors can become a big problem. And this problem is further compounded if the trainers are not any good, the organisers are bad business people and the parents do not have children who can make it on their own without crutches. See the problem now?
So each will use the Associations for their own desperate need to survive. Another way of looking at it is the weak propping up the weak. And in collusion they need to get rid of anyone who do not follow their primary agenda of self interest. That is why the good people are forced to leave. That is why our strong players who can make it on their own needs to be broken.
Why? Otherwise it makes them look bad. Do you think there is any truth to what I say?
And they even use that authority to attack their competitors ie better trainers and coaches, better players, better organisers.
But if we don't have those people we will have no one to populate the committees? True to an extent. That is why we need good policies and guidelines so that none may abuse their authority. And for that we need a strong President for they will not give up all their illicit privileges easily.
So the President is important. I hope the people who are looking to run for the Presidency will consider carefully why they are coming into chess. To help Malaysian Chess prosper so that we can once again stand tall in the International arena or otherwise. Please ask yourself that question.
Apart from that I wish you all every success. May the best man/woman win. We very badly need a strong man/woman President with a Vision who can lead us forward. But it won't be easy. The rot is very deep.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Malaysia's first GM will come from knowledge of chess.
It is very apparently obvious that our first GM will come from the complete knowledge of chess. From the parts as taught by our trainers of opening lines as well as other technical knowledge, from our coaches who teach strategy ie how to wield those parts into a winning whole together with developing the mental strength to win.
So that is the work we must do to develop value.
But for some very strange reasons our MCF officials have not been able to see this despite their over 30 years of existence. Instead they allow weak players long after their due date to continue to play for Malaysia. Instead they allow the sabotage of our players and training programs to improve.
They support the deal makers who need the back doors. They support weak trainers who criticize our Olympiad ladies squad, ban national players and insults players and parents alike. They support washed out players who criticize on the side lines when they have not even dared to play in a proper Fide rated tournament in years in an effort to hide their lousy chess or those that bombs dramatically because they suffer from serious delusions of being Ferraris when they are actually kup chai's finally turning into bicycles when their engines drop off.
Now why is that?
Shouldn't we be supporting disciplined players who dare to fight and dare to improve irrespective of rich or poor, irrespective of whether they are red, green or black, irrespective of gender. It should only be about chess.
So that is the work we must do to develop value.
But for some very strange reasons our MCF officials have not been able to see this despite their over 30 years of existence. Instead they allow weak players long after their due date to continue to play for Malaysia. Instead they allow the sabotage of our players and training programs to improve.
They support the deal makers who need the back doors. They support weak trainers who criticize our Olympiad ladies squad, ban national players and insults players and parents alike. They support washed out players who criticize on the side lines when they have not even dared to play in a proper Fide rated tournament in years in an effort to hide their lousy chess or those that bombs dramatically because they suffer from serious delusions of being Ferraris when they are actually kup chai's finally turning into bicycles when their engines drop off.
Now why is that?
Shouldn't we be supporting disciplined players who dare to fight and dare to improve irrespective of rich or poor, irrespective of whether they are red, green or black, irrespective of gender. It should only be about chess.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The creation of value by MCF.
Ref: Here.
Am I being fair when I say MCF has created no value in over 30 years? Lets look at that today. What would value look like and how can it be created?
Lets look at what it is not first. Do you remember a few crony blogs of MCF writing recently about certain senior players and how many times each of them has played at the Olympiads so far over the last 30 years or so? Is that a good thing? Can we say that those same players have slipped further and further behind in International standing over the same period in absolute as well as in relative terms?
Actually they represent what I have called the glass ceiling in Malaysian chess. So they are the cap. Jimmy is the cap. And the cap has been tightly closed for that same period.
If we had practiced healthy competition we would have learnt a lot in those 30 years. We would have been able to narrow the gap between us and our goal. Instead we have lost more and more ground relative to even our nearest neighbours. Instead we have practised unhealthy competition; the art of deception and sabotage. So was value created?
True, MCF finally brought in written selection in 2010. But they are now reversing this again. If you look at the comments here it seems that even the written selection for the juniors are being tweaked to serve another purpose. What is the purpose of not giving the official letter of offer? Does that not reduce the chances of players that need sponsorship, even if they qualify, from playing for Malaysia? There is another practice. They don't go strictly down the line. So they can jump from No.2 to No.6 for instance. It seems possible that the reasons are that No.3 to 5 may not be rich enough or play ball enough for certain officials to benefit from the selection. Ask around or look carefully for yourself to see if what I say may be true.
So what is value? The value are in our players are they not? Their gifts and talents nurtured into tangible results measured by International standing. But they all crash at the senior level no matter how promising they were at the beginning. Now why is that?
So could it be the consequence of the practice unhealthy competition? The terrible waste of energy and the gifts of our youth. Isn't that the only way we can prevent the young and gifted from overtaking the old and worn out? So is the fact that Jimmy and Mok are still playing at the Olympiad a good thing or a really crazy and bad thing? Are we celebrating our weakness, our failure?
What happens after the sabotage of the efforts to build? What happens after they have torn down another player? The answer is nothing. Our chess has not improved one inch. We are just as lousy at chess as before the "win" by this method. No value has been created.
MCF focusses only on certain tournaments and not in development. They focus on tournaments where the officials make money. And so their activities center around that. Even selection for the juniors are in danger of turning into another cash cow for certain officials. That is really why we have no proper policies and guidelines.
MCF needs to create value in Malaysian chess. That is what they are created to do. It is not a source of easy private income at the expense of all the players in the Country. Rich or poor, young or old and for all races. That is the value that is missing.
So get rid of those people at the next AGM. We now know the way forward. Healthy competition. Put in the people who support this.
Am I being fair when I say MCF has created no value in over 30 years? Lets look at that today. What would value look like and how can it be created?
Lets look at what it is not first. Do you remember a few crony blogs of MCF writing recently about certain senior players and how many times each of them has played at the Olympiads so far over the last 30 years or so? Is that a good thing? Can we say that those same players have slipped further and further behind in International standing over the same period in absolute as well as in relative terms?
Actually they represent what I have called the glass ceiling in Malaysian chess. So they are the cap. Jimmy is the cap. And the cap has been tightly closed for that same period.
If we had practiced healthy competition we would have learnt a lot in those 30 years. We would have been able to narrow the gap between us and our goal. Instead we have lost more and more ground relative to even our nearest neighbours. Instead we have practised unhealthy competition; the art of deception and sabotage. So was value created?
True, MCF finally brought in written selection in 2010. But they are now reversing this again. If you look at the comments here it seems that even the written selection for the juniors are being tweaked to serve another purpose. What is the purpose of not giving the official letter of offer? Does that not reduce the chances of players that need sponsorship, even if they qualify, from playing for Malaysia? There is another practice. They don't go strictly down the line. So they can jump from No.2 to No.6 for instance. It seems possible that the reasons are that No.3 to 5 may not be rich enough or play ball enough for certain officials to benefit from the selection. Ask around or look carefully for yourself to see if what I say may be true.
So what is value? The value are in our players are they not? Their gifts and talents nurtured into tangible results measured by International standing. But they all crash at the senior level no matter how promising they were at the beginning. Now why is that?
So could it be the consequence of the practice unhealthy competition? The terrible waste of energy and the gifts of our youth. Isn't that the only way we can prevent the young and gifted from overtaking the old and worn out? So is the fact that Jimmy and Mok are still playing at the Olympiad a good thing or a really crazy and bad thing? Are we celebrating our weakness, our failure?
What happens after the sabotage of the efforts to build? What happens after they have torn down another player? The answer is nothing. Our chess has not improved one inch. We are just as lousy at chess as before the "win" by this method. No value has been created.
MCF focusses only on certain tournaments and not in development. They focus on tournaments where the officials make money. And so their activities center around that. Even selection for the juniors are in danger of turning into another cash cow for certain officials. That is really why we have no proper policies and guidelines.
MCF needs to create value in Malaysian chess. That is what they are created to do. It is not a source of easy private income at the expense of all the players in the Country. Rich or poor, young or old and for all races. That is the value that is missing.
So get rid of those people at the next AGM. We now know the way forward. Healthy competition. Put in the people who support this.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Embracing competitor analysis is the way to the next level.
Competitor analysis is a very broad concept. On the micro level it investigates which opening to use against which opponent under specific conditions. It investigates and measures your strengths and weaknesses against your opponents. It tells you the arsenal, both mental and technical, you must have in any theatre of competition to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
On the macro level, it compares systems. And this is an interesting journey too. For different Countries have different strengths and weaknesses too. They also have different resources available and different starting points. And so the challenge is to use all the resources we have in the best possible way to achieve the targets we have set for ourselves.
Now observe this. This is about healthy competition. Here we are always looking at ways to improve ourselves. Now this is the crux.
Ponder this. Why is it that Bangladesh can get GM's and we can't? Do they have more than we have?
Now look below to see where we have gone wrong.
For you see, unhealthy competition is about forcing your views unto others because you have no ideas on how to improve. It's about tearing down; it's about lies and intimidation and manipulation. Think about this. If they can show a way forward in a reasoned manner, would they need to resort to these methods? Unhealthy competition is about hiding your fears, running away from your lack of results.
Now do you understand the drama that have kept Malaysian chess backward for so many many years? Use competitor analysis to plot the way forward. Then we won't be wasting so much time trying to tear each other down. Then we have the energy to move forward.
Now this has to start from the head. We need thinkers in MCF, not people who cheat their own players with false selection and trying to rob the Association blind. It is that simple. If the same people remain in MCF after the AGM then we can expect the same result in the future as we have been getting for the last 30 years.
On the macro level, it compares systems. And this is an interesting journey too. For different Countries have different strengths and weaknesses too. They also have different resources available and different starting points. And so the challenge is to use all the resources we have in the best possible way to achieve the targets we have set for ourselves.
Now observe this. This is about healthy competition. Here we are always looking at ways to improve ourselves. Now this is the crux.
Ponder this. Why is it that Bangladesh can get GM's and we can't? Do they have more than we have?
Now look below to see where we have gone wrong.
For you see, unhealthy competition is about forcing your views unto others because you have no ideas on how to improve. It's about tearing down; it's about lies and intimidation and manipulation. Think about this. If they can show a way forward in a reasoned manner, would they need to resort to these methods? Unhealthy competition is about hiding your fears, running away from your lack of results.
Now do you understand the drama that have kept Malaysian chess backward for so many many years? Use competitor analysis to plot the way forward. Then we won't be wasting so much time trying to tear each other down. Then we have the energy to move forward.
Now this has to start from the head. We need thinkers in MCF, not people who cheat their own players with false selection and trying to rob the Association blind. It is that simple. If the same people remain in MCF after the AGM then we can expect the same result in the future as we have been getting for the last 30 years.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The purpose of different types of organisations.
The way to make money is to go into business. Then you are rewarded for the risks you take with the skills and knowledge that you have. The simplest form is that of a sole proprietor. Then you are the business.
But when it comes to limited companies there are more rules. You are not alone so it is not only about you. So the perspective changes. The company becomes the entity. You are employed by the company even if you are the biggest shareholder. So your first responsibility is to the company. And for that the company pays you a salary. If you do really well for the company and create extraordinary value, you can be paid a bonus.
An NGO is not a business. MCF for instance is created to promote chess. It belongs to ALL the members. So why are some people who cannot survive in business coming in to subvert the entire organisation to serve their "business" ends? Why should Malaysian chess suffer because these people cannot make it in the business world without a crutch?
I think they should just go and find employment under a boss who knows business to learn then, don't you think? For Malaysian chess to progress we need strong leaders with Vision. Leaders that come in to serve. That is what an NGO is for. Right now we have weaklings that cannot survive outside and they come in to only take. And so there is nothing left for the chess players. They have taken it all. Is that not so? And have they created any value at all?
But when it comes to limited companies there are more rules. You are not alone so it is not only about you. So the perspective changes. The company becomes the entity. You are employed by the company even if you are the biggest shareholder. So your first responsibility is to the company. And for that the company pays you a salary. If you do really well for the company and create extraordinary value, you can be paid a bonus.
An NGO is not a business. MCF for instance is created to promote chess. It belongs to ALL the members. So why are some people who cannot survive in business coming in to subvert the entire organisation to serve their "business" ends? Why should Malaysian chess suffer because these people cannot make it in the business world without a crutch?
I think they should just go and find employment under a boss who knows business to learn then, don't you think? For Malaysian chess to progress we need strong leaders with Vision. Leaders that come in to serve. That is what an NGO is for. Right now we have weaklings that cannot survive outside and they come in to only take. And so there is nothing left for the chess players. They have taken it all. Is that not so? And have they created any value at all?
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
What happens if you are a chess prodigy in Malaysia and you are not rich?
Ref: Here.
It looks like you may have a chance in Uganda. What about in Malaysia? Who would be responsible to take care of our chess talent?
Even if you can afford it by your own means and try to remain independent, you are victimised.
What about if you cannot afford the cost of development to International standards? Who do you think should be responsible? Even if an independent organisation tries to help and still remain independent, the company is sabotaged.
But they all love chess don't they? Who are they trying to kid? They are even trying to reverse selection.
It looks like you may have a chance in Uganda. What about in Malaysia? Who would be responsible to take care of our chess talent?
Even if you can afford it by your own means and try to remain independent, you are victimised.
What about if you cannot afford the cost of development to International standards? Who do you think should be responsible? Even if an independent organisation tries to help and still remain independent, the company is sabotaged.
But they all love chess don't they? Who are they trying to kid? They are even trying to reverse selection.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Today's Contemplation.
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely sticking to it. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life. The procedure, the process is its own reward.
-- Amelia Earhart
-- Amelia Earhart
Monday, October 8, 2012
As Singapore steels itself to move forward.
Ref: Here.
As we have seen in the Malaysian chess scene, our seniors are petrified of competing against the juniors, petrified of losing Fide rating as the numbers are attached to their fragile egos. And because of this they become weaker and weaker year after year.
Worse, they have invented such ingenious ways to tell you how weak the juniors are, how they are actually Ferraris in disguise although we only see a kup chai. And they enforce this perception by hammering any junior or any coach that threatens that carefully nurtured illusion to camouflage their fears.
On the other side of the causeway, they are encouraging the seniors to stay at the cutting edge. You need to stay at the cutting edge don't you, if you are going to represent the Country?
But on this side of the causeway we remove selection so our weak players can go to the Olympiad!!!
Is it a wonder then Malaysian chess is slipping further and further behind?
Or do you believe their Jedi mind trick that we are getting stronger? Did you read the blogs that tell you how we have improved by leaps and bounds from the results of the last Olympiad. Search yourself. Which story do you really believe? Imagine. They actually think you are that dumb.
Then look at the leadership that have put us in this position. And then change it. Give us a fighting chance to improve. Do something now or else do not complain again after the AGM. You are being given the chance to really make a difference now.
Face reality. That is chess. Chess is a mind sport, a thinking persons game. So we need thinking leaders. It's that simple. We just cannot have these frightened people who cannot survive in the real world at the helm of Malaysian chess any longer. Not if we want to progress at any rate.
As we have seen in the Malaysian chess scene, our seniors are petrified of competing against the juniors, petrified of losing Fide rating as the numbers are attached to their fragile egos. And because of this they become weaker and weaker year after year.
Worse, they have invented such ingenious ways to tell you how weak the juniors are, how they are actually Ferraris in disguise although we only see a kup chai. And they enforce this perception by hammering any junior or any coach that threatens that carefully nurtured illusion to camouflage their fears.
On the other side of the causeway, they are encouraging the seniors to stay at the cutting edge. You need to stay at the cutting edge don't you, if you are going to represent the Country?
But on this side of the causeway we remove selection so our weak players can go to the Olympiad!!!
Is it a wonder then Malaysian chess is slipping further and further behind?
Or do you believe their Jedi mind trick that we are getting stronger? Did you read the blogs that tell you how we have improved by leaps and bounds from the results of the last Olympiad. Search yourself. Which story do you really believe? Imagine. They actually think you are that dumb.
Then look at the leadership that have put us in this position. And then change it. Give us a fighting chance to improve. Do something now or else do not complain again after the AGM. You are being given the chance to really make a difference now.
Face reality. That is chess. Chess is a mind sport, a thinking persons game. So we need thinking leaders. It's that simple. We just cannot have these frightened people who cannot survive in the real world at the helm of Malaysian chess any longer. Not if we want to progress at any rate.
Can this be what Gens Una Sumus really mean, Fide?
Ref: Here.
It appears that Fide doesn't do much if they see that a National Federation cheats their own players by doing a fraudulent selection. They also don't seem to do much to investigate suspect tournaments. So I'm getting it. Those guys have their place under the Fide sky; we are one people after all.
My question is, is there a place for people who want to play in a proper selection to measure their skill? Is there a place for people who do not want to deprive stronger players from their rightful place just because we can arrange a deal? Is there a place for real chess players?
I think we deserve an answer from Fide, don't you think? Gens Una Sumus. Is there a place for us too under your sky Fide? Does Gens Una Sumus mean that those of us that do not condone match fixing also have the right to our own Federation too? Just like they can have their own Federation that practices their culture.
Also see below.
It appears that Fide doesn't do much if they see that a National Federation cheats their own players by doing a fraudulent selection. They also don't seem to do much to investigate suspect tournaments. So I'm getting it. Those guys have their place under the Fide sky; we are one people after all.
My question is, is there a place for people who want to play in a proper selection to measure their skill? Is there a place for people who do not want to deprive stronger players from their rightful place just because we can arrange a deal? Is there a place for real chess players?
I think we deserve an answer from Fide, don't you think? Gens Una Sumus. Is there a place for us too under your sky Fide? Does Gens Una Sumus mean that those of us that do not condone match fixing also have the right to our own Federation too? Just like they can have their own Federation that practices their culture.
Also see below.
Maybe it's time for Fide to recognise 2 Federations.
As we can see, MCF is the Federation for a handful of weak players who are afraid of competition. But maybe they have earned that right. They work hard at controlling MCF. They are experts are backstabbing, sabotage, manipulation and intimidation while all the rest of us just look on.
Read this. Here. I think the 4th paragraph is quite revealing. The question of course is whether we want the culture as described in CAS where once an agreement is reached there is no internal sabotage or the current culture of MCF.
I suppose we will see the answer at the next AGM. I am told that MCF has been working very hard. They have been to COS to ask them not to take any action against MCF till after the Olympiad when the AGM will be held. But as we know from the experiences I have shared on this blog of my time in PICA, MCF has an array of weapons which they can use.
Some of them are to call for a meeting (AGM) when the challenger/s is away without due process; the fixing of the Agenda; the manipulation of the minutes. The offer of projects for votes etc etc.
So the chips are stacked against change.
So maybe the solution is 2 Federations. There is an MCF to represent those handful of players who need the back doors and a new Federation for all the other players in Malaysia. A new Federation where we give a level playing field for players to display the skill earned from hard work and healthy competition. Where we reward those that have done the work and paid the price. Where we raise experts in chess and not sabotage. Maybe? And then we let the 2 Federations compete to see which is the better model.
How about it Fide?
Read this. Here. I think the 4th paragraph is quite revealing. The question of course is whether we want the culture as described in CAS where once an agreement is reached there is no internal sabotage or the current culture of MCF.
I suppose we will see the answer at the next AGM. I am told that MCF has been working very hard. They have been to COS to ask them not to take any action against MCF till after the Olympiad when the AGM will be held. But as we know from the experiences I have shared on this blog of my time in PICA, MCF has an array of weapons which they can use.
Some of them are to call for a meeting (AGM) when the challenger/s is away without due process; the fixing of the Agenda; the manipulation of the minutes. The offer of projects for votes etc etc.
So the chips are stacked against change.
So maybe the solution is 2 Federations. There is an MCF to represent those handful of players who need the back doors and a new Federation for all the other players in Malaysia. A new Federation where we give a level playing field for players to display the skill earned from hard work and healthy competition. Where we reward those that have done the work and paid the price. Where we raise experts in chess and not sabotage. Maybe? And then we let the 2 Federations compete to see which is the better model.
How about it Fide?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
What if?
What if we all suddenly realise that supporting good and decent organisers who are making effort on their own rather than waiting for hand outs from MCF gives us more traction than trying to flog dead horses?
What if we all realise that helping players who are helping themselves brings us closer to that GM rather than helping weak players who need the back doors?
What if Greg wakes up tomorrow and realises that MCF is not his private domain to make money and will accept a salary so he doesn't have to cari makan and then do the job he is meant to do?
What if more people think that Ustaz Rahman may make a better Secretary of MCF instead of Greg?
What if the people who are vying to win positions in MCF realises that without good policies and guidelines we will be a house divided against itself? And the consequence is that the good ones leave and only the weak ones remain because they have nowhere else to go that celebrates weakness, and wants them.
What if Jimmy suddenly wakes up tomorrow and decides to change his bald tires and repair the broken and about to fall off engine on his kup chai and sets his next goal to being a kancil etc up the line till he finally becomes a Ferrari?
What if Peter has a flash of inspiration and decides to become a better trainer instead of trying to ban players stronger than the ones he can produce?
What if all officials and organisers suddenly realise that the purpose of tournaments is to give a level playing field to all the players to show their skill rather than fixing it so that their lame horse makes it past the post?
Can this "crazy" thing happen? I think maybe. But the first step is to realise that healthy competition is about defeating your own inner demons. It's never about taking the other person down. To what purpose? If you take that attitude, you are just as lousy at chess as you were before the "win", isn't it?
Isn't that the real reason why we have not progressed despite all the money poured into our chess for the last 30 years? The really strong players have been knocked out by reasons having nothing to do with chess.
Ref: Here.
What if the sponsors finally realise that they cannot help a sport that is bent on destroying itself no matter how much money is poured in?
Why? Because they do not understand what true competition means. Malaysian chess has not yet reached the understanding that most sports in the world have understood a long time ago. It's about raising your standard, about being the best you can be.
So I suggest we give our support to all those that seek to improve and withdraw support from those that seek to destroy, those that want the cheap victories without paying the price. Those that do not care who they hurt or damage in the pursuit of their narrow self interest. It's really that simple. And it's not personal. If Jimmy really wants to repair his kup chai and stop trying to fix selection then we should support him too etc.
We put effort in the direction we want to go. Then we have traction.
What if we all realise that helping players who are helping themselves brings us closer to that GM rather than helping weak players who need the back doors?
What if Greg wakes up tomorrow and realises that MCF is not his private domain to make money and will accept a salary so he doesn't have to cari makan and then do the job he is meant to do?
What if more people think that Ustaz Rahman may make a better Secretary of MCF instead of Greg?
What if the people who are vying to win positions in MCF realises that without good policies and guidelines we will be a house divided against itself? And the consequence is that the good ones leave and only the weak ones remain because they have nowhere else to go that celebrates weakness, and wants them.
What if Jimmy suddenly wakes up tomorrow and decides to change his bald tires and repair the broken and about to fall off engine on his kup chai and sets his next goal to being a kancil etc up the line till he finally becomes a Ferrari?
What if Peter has a flash of inspiration and decides to become a better trainer instead of trying to ban players stronger than the ones he can produce?
What if all officials and organisers suddenly realise that the purpose of tournaments is to give a level playing field to all the players to show their skill rather than fixing it so that their lame horse makes it past the post?
Can this "crazy" thing happen? I think maybe. But the first step is to realise that healthy competition is about defeating your own inner demons. It's never about taking the other person down. To what purpose? If you take that attitude, you are just as lousy at chess as you were before the "win", isn't it?
Isn't that the real reason why we have not progressed despite all the money poured into our chess for the last 30 years? The really strong players have been knocked out by reasons having nothing to do with chess.
Ref: Here.
What if the sponsors finally realise that they cannot help a sport that is bent on destroying itself no matter how much money is poured in?
Why? Because they do not understand what true competition means. Malaysian chess has not yet reached the understanding that most sports in the world have understood a long time ago. It's about raising your standard, about being the best you can be.
So I suggest we give our support to all those that seek to improve and withdraw support from those that seek to destroy, those that want the cheap victories without paying the price. Those that do not care who they hurt or damage in the pursuit of their narrow self interest. It's really that simple. And it's not personal. If Jimmy really wants to repair his kup chai and stop trying to fix selection then we should support him too etc.
We put effort in the direction we want to go. Then we have traction.
Friday, October 5, 2012
What is so wrong about removing selection and match fixing?
Basically that means they are telling you that your efforts count for nothing. All your sacrifice in time and money counts for nothing. All your knowledge and training count for nothing.
Fair competition and selection is the only way for you to judge for yourself if you are doing things right. It's your gauge to tell you what you need to do to improve.
But if they fix pairing, take away selection, ban without justifiable cause they are telling you that they have zero respect for your effort.
They are telling you that they can play God. If you are better than them or their players, they can fix pairing. If that doesn't work they can try to ban you without any justifiable grounds. And if even that doesn't work, they can take away selection altogether so that their lousy players still get to represent Malaysia.
That is what they are telling you. And if you still think that there is nothing wrong with that then something must have been done to damage your sense of self worth. Something must have been done to destroy your fighting spirit, don't you think?
But wait. Come to think of it, you now qualify for the back door. I get it now. Congratulations!
Isn't that the irony? You are sent to compete with the best when they have taken the competitive spirit out of you.
Fair competition and selection is the only way for you to judge for yourself if you are doing things right. It's your gauge to tell you what you need to do to improve.
But if they fix pairing, take away selection, ban without justifiable cause they are telling you that they have zero respect for your effort.
They are telling you that they can play God. If you are better than them or their players, they can fix pairing. If that doesn't work they can try to ban you without any justifiable grounds. And if even that doesn't work, they can take away selection altogether so that their lousy players still get to represent Malaysia.
That is what they are telling you. And if you still think that there is nothing wrong with that then something must have been done to damage your sense of self worth. Something must have been done to destroy your fighting spirit, don't you think?
But wait. Come to think of it, you now qualify for the back door. I get it now. Congratulations!
Isn't that the irony? You are sent to compete with the best when they have taken the competitive spirit out of you.
Today's Contemplation
The victory of success is half won when one gains the
habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most
tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through
each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial
or boring, brings you closer to achieving your dreams.
-- Og Mandino
habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most
tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through
each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial
or boring, brings you closer to achieving your dreams.
-- Og Mandino
Thursday, October 4, 2012
General Comments.
Ref: Comments here.
I understand that under the current situation with MCF decent organisers/trainers/officials etc have no choice but to publicly defend themselves and chess from the bad apples who are using chess for illicit gains. I hope that once we have a functioning MCF that can and will look into abuses we can go through proper process to resolve issues.
But as far as I can see Zaki is trying to make amends. Maybe his system is too complicated to sustain. So he may need to relook at how to simplify it for the future. To me it is a learning lesson for all of us. Let people try and experiment. If not how can we learn and improve? If mistakes are made, then just rectify and move on from there. I see Zaki's clarification as a good thing. The main thing is to act in good faith.
Ref: Here
But we are totally silent on this issue? Isn't this the bigger issue since the public outside of the chess community is involved? This gives all of us in the chess community a bad name. Look at the comments there. See what the public really thinks of this type of behaviour.
We need to move away from personal likes and dislikes and focus on issues. If Jimmy Liew is in the wrong; if Mark Siew is in the wrong then lets just admit to it, correct it and then move on. Nobody is perfect and all of us are still learning. Nobody here is God. So if Zaki wants to make it right we should support and help him to do it. He has shown good intention. Isn't that enough or do you want a pint of blood too?
Lets focus on encouraging those that still want to practice unethical ways to change too. And then lets put in proper policies and guidelines in the new MCF so that there is less confusion about what is right and what is wrong.
I understand that under the current situation with MCF decent organisers/trainers/officials etc have no choice but to publicly defend themselves and chess from the bad apples who are using chess for illicit gains. I hope that once we have a functioning MCF that can and will look into abuses we can go through proper process to resolve issues.
But as far as I can see Zaki is trying to make amends. Maybe his system is too complicated to sustain. So he may need to relook at how to simplify it for the future. To me it is a learning lesson for all of us. Let people try and experiment. If not how can we learn and improve? If mistakes are made, then just rectify and move on from there. I see Zaki's clarification as a good thing. The main thing is to act in good faith.
Ref: Here
But we are totally silent on this issue? Isn't this the bigger issue since the public outside of the chess community is involved? This gives all of us in the chess community a bad name. Look at the comments there. See what the public really thinks of this type of behaviour.
We need to move away from personal likes and dislikes and focus on issues. If Jimmy Liew is in the wrong; if Mark Siew is in the wrong then lets just admit to it, correct it and then move on. Nobody is perfect and all of us are still learning. Nobody here is God. So if Zaki wants to make it right we should support and help him to do it. He has shown good intention. Isn't that enough or do you want a pint of blood too?
Lets focus on encouraging those that still want to practice unethical ways to change too. And then lets put in proper policies and guidelines in the new MCF so that there is less confusion about what is right and what is wrong.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I came across this on facebook.
Doesn't this negate all the hype we try to build around the mind sport we all love so much? Judge for yourself.
Here.
Here.
Today's Contemplation
There is a spiritual aspect to our lives - when we give
we receive - when a business does something good for
somebody, that somebody feels good about them!
-- Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
we receive - when a business does something good for
somebody, that somebody feels good about them!
-- Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Understanding roles.
Ref: Please see comments here.
The major problem in Malaysian chess is that there is no clarity of roles. So you find failing trainers trying to ban national players and making national policies, you find a washed out player attacking training for the juniors and then determining the senior squad without selection via back door dealings.
This can only happen because MCF is totally dysfunctional and seems to have no clue as to what it's role is supposed to be. And until we get that right, I submit that we will not have our own GM. What the chess community needs is a fair arbiter in MCF to redress the problems we face. But instead we find that it's the Secretary that is withholding the certs that certain winners have won in National tournaments, the one who is facilitating the back door deals etc.
So the entire structure of MCF is not doing what it is supposed to do but instead to get sponsors and money to fill mainly one person's pocket. So this latest offer to Fadli becomes an interesting case. Actually what can Greg offer? He obviously need many more votes to survive the AGM. Promises are free. We saw this even with the recent National Close. According to Najib the post of Chief Arbiter was promised to him but then given to someone else. So this is the trap isn't it? Instead of going around to build your business we find many sitting around and waiting for their "promised" deal.
And the same goes for the players. Instead of training hard and preparing for selection they are lead to believe that the deal is already done. And so you have taken the wind out of their sail.
There simply is not enough deals for MCF to dish out. Just too many waiting for favours. And this is bad for our chess. All are affected, organisers, trainers and players. What is the point of organising a proper event if you face sabotage from MCF itself? MCF is more likely to facilitate tournaments where "deals" can be done. What is the point of training if the selection is suspect or non existent? What is the point of playing strong chess if you see the weak fellas going in via the back door? And there are only a few places for players but many promises can be made.
Are you seeing the problem now? It's all an illusion. In fact MCF cannot even get good sponsors anymore. They can only get the occasional one offs. No sponsor with the type of funds that can make a difference will sponsor an organisation that cannot even produce one project account. Questions are asked. How did you spend the money from that last project? Did you represent Malaysia via a tough selection or via back door dealings?
Why indeed would any good sponsor part with their hard earned money to help an organisation that is not even helping its own members? Roles. MCF, you need to do your job. You need proper policies and guidelines.
ps: Don't start palming off our National Tournaments in your desperation to make more private money. That will really be the pits.
The major problem in Malaysian chess is that there is no clarity of roles. So you find failing trainers trying to ban national players and making national policies, you find a washed out player attacking training for the juniors and then determining the senior squad without selection via back door dealings.
This can only happen because MCF is totally dysfunctional and seems to have no clue as to what it's role is supposed to be. And until we get that right, I submit that we will not have our own GM. What the chess community needs is a fair arbiter in MCF to redress the problems we face. But instead we find that it's the Secretary that is withholding the certs that certain winners have won in National tournaments, the one who is facilitating the back door deals etc.
So the entire structure of MCF is not doing what it is supposed to do but instead to get sponsors and money to fill mainly one person's pocket. So this latest offer to Fadli becomes an interesting case. Actually what can Greg offer? He obviously need many more votes to survive the AGM. Promises are free. We saw this even with the recent National Close. According to Najib the post of Chief Arbiter was promised to him but then given to someone else. So this is the trap isn't it? Instead of going around to build your business we find many sitting around and waiting for their "promised" deal.
And the same goes for the players. Instead of training hard and preparing for selection they are lead to believe that the deal is already done. And so you have taken the wind out of their sail.
There simply is not enough deals for MCF to dish out. Just too many waiting for favours. And this is bad for our chess. All are affected, organisers, trainers and players. What is the point of organising a proper event if you face sabotage from MCF itself? MCF is more likely to facilitate tournaments where "deals" can be done. What is the point of training if the selection is suspect or non existent? What is the point of playing strong chess if you see the weak fellas going in via the back door? And there are only a few places for players but many promises can be made.
Are you seeing the problem now? It's all an illusion. In fact MCF cannot even get good sponsors anymore. They can only get the occasional one offs. No sponsor with the type of funds that can make a difference will sponsor an organisation that cannot even produce one project account. Questions are asked. How did you spend the money from that last project? Did you represent Malaysia via a tough selection or via back door dealings?
Why indeed would any good sponsor part with their hard earned money to help an organisation that is not even helping its own members? Roles. MCF, you need to do your job. You need proper policies and guidelines.
ps: Don't start palming off our National Tournaments in your desperation to make more private money. That will really be the pits.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The significance of FGM, Sumant, Mark and Fadli.
Have you seen the movie, Inception? It talks about the power of an idea. Good movie. So what is the idea, the message that they don't want you to hear?
What did Sumant achieve when he won his place in the senior squad for SEA games? Did he not show that with self belief and discipline he is at least an equal to the seniors? And if Sumant can achieve it then does it not show that any junior/player who is close to his level or better is also able to achieve that success too? On the flip side, what would happen if that self belief is robbed? Is that not why they removed selection for the senior squad after SEA games? Too close to breaking that glass ceiling once and for all for their comfort?
What about Fadli? Did he not show that you can be successful if you believe in yourself? In fact look at what happens if you lose that self belief? Look at the organisers that are still tied to the apron strings of MCF?
So they cannot allow this can they? They have to bring you into the fold. And when that is achieved you become just like them. All sitting down and waiting for more hand outs. So why would we want that??!!
Isn't Fadli getting stronger and stronger? Soon, if he continues with his strategy, MCF will have to go to him for jobs and not the other way around.
What about FGM? FGM tells you that your success is about you. If you can maintain your courage you cannot be stopped. Tell me, what do you think would have happened if we had believed in their evaluation? They could not see the Champion in Roshan, they could not see that Li Tian is not yet ready. They could not see that Zhuo Ren can make an IM run. Or did they? They tell me that I am destroying Mark's future in chess. I think the opposite is true. Chess is also the training ground for a much bigger future, life itself. Not all will want to become GM's but all can learn from the lessons of competitive chess.
And those lesson are, you can be whatever you want in life if you keep your courage, believe in yourself and have the discipline to pay the price of success. It also tells you that if you listen to the voice of failure, you will be lead into a trap of your own making. Don't listen to that siren call of easy fixes and back doors. It leads to failure. You can choose.
In fact believing the idea that you cannot succeed without them and their back doors is the only sure way to failure. We have over 30 years worth of evidence. Of "inception", that implanted false idea.
What did Sumant achieve when he won his place in the senior squad for SEA games? Did he not show that with self belief and discipline he is at least an equal to the seniors? And if Sumant can achieve it then does it not show that any junior/player who is close to his level or better is also able to achieve that success too? On the flip side, what would happen if that self belief is robbed? Is that not why they removed selection for the senior squad after SEA games? Too close to breaking that glass ceiling once and for all for their comfort?
What about Fadli? Did he not show that you can be successful if you believe in yourself? In fact look at what happens if you lose that self belief? Look at the organisers that are still tied to the apron strings of MCF?
So they cannot allow this can they? They have to bring you into the fold. And when that is achieved you become just like them. All sitting down and waiting for more hand outs. So why would we want that??!!
Isn't Fadli getting stronger and stronger? Soon, if he continues with his strategy, MCF will have to go to him for jobs and not the other way around.
What about FGM? FGM tells you that your success is about you. If you can maintain your courage you cannot be stopped. Tell me, what do you think would have happened if we had believed in their evaluation? They could not see the Champion in Roshan, they could not see that Li Tian is not yet ready. They could not see that Zhuo Ren can make an IM run. Or did they? They tell me that I am destroying Mark's future in chess. I think the opposite is true. Chess is also the training ground for a much bigger future, life itself. Not all will want to become GM's but all can learn from the lessons of competitive chess.
And those lesson are, you can be whatever you want in life if you keep your courage, believe in yourself and have the discipline to pay the price of success. It also tells you that if you listen to the voice of failure, you will be lead into a trap of your own making. Don't listen to that siren call of easy fixes and back doors. It leads to failure. You can choose.
In fact believing the idea that you cannot succeed without them and their back doors is the only sure way to failure. We have over 30 years worth of evidence. Of "inception", that implanted false idea.
Today's Contemplation.
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
-- Winston S. Churchill
-- Winston S. Churchill
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