Setia Chess Center (SCC) Kuantan: MAS

Monday, December 17, 2007

MAS - SIN Match 2007

The Malaysia - Singapore match comes to its 19th edition which started on 15th December 2007.

We embarked off on our journey to Singapore on friday morning 14th December via KTM Train. The total of huge numbers are on the list to Singapore this year's match. A total of more than 100 people including parents are in the list!!

It was a success story on our side, managing such a huge squad! I would say kudos to Haslindah Ruslan our team manager for her effort in ensuring that the team were well taken care. Not just that she offered RM50 for those who manage to get a 2 points (perfect score!) and any team that manage to win against singapore (eg : team U-8 boys wins against team U-8 boys Singapore), will get RM200 for a team!!

It was an effort made by haslindah to reward the players to do at their best and at the same time having fun in Singapore! The players this year mostly are new to this environment. It is great to see new youngsters pulling their strength in this event. And the one that scores full point are all the under age kids!!! (amazing huh!), and the best team was won by our U-8 G team!!!

Yeah! we lost... and I admit it was a deep and big lost! I admit too that it shouldn't be that way coz, we have been losing every year to Singapore, ever since their academy existed.. But to be honest... seeing those kids play, the ones that has never played internationally (this is their first) lies all the hope for future chess in Malaysia (giving time that these kids does improves with proper training of course). By giving them the opportunity like this... it is like a dream come true to them and make their parents proud of it. I have never seen parents actually fork up money just to see their kids in action.. And seeing their happy faces..

But, fate has always have its way on every road that we take... It was unpleasant to hear such a harsh voice from Singaporeans... Being so cocky and snobby on the victory. And at the end it wasn't a "friendly match" as the objective of the event anymore.

They are so proud of the victory that they forget what is the beautiful game of chess are all about. Chess was supposed to teach us the value of life, because chess is life (it is larger than life for some people). Like any other sports, chess brought people from all over nations no matter what religion and colour sit together staring at the chess board, and later on talk about chess all days. We have that one thing in common... then why must we destroy it? We are not in war, then why the hatred exists? Are we teaching the right way, the right attitude to the younger generation by mocking your opponents? is this the culture that we want to show to the world? Chess has always been a game and never a sport in some part of countries, is this the example that we want to give them?

I was shocked to hear this... not just me, ask the parents who are so happy to be in Singapore with their children, and suddenly hearing those words... what do they think?

If this year is the last so called "friendly match" then, I am at the least to feel regret... To me I have touch and feel the victories when we first hosted the event. Being the among the first playing the match when it was held years ago.... yes, we win big when it was held years ago, but are we being rude to our neighbour? I can tell you, NO.... as a Malaysian I am proud to say that we are the fair play winner.

View from my room at the Lion City Hotel.

This is another part of Singapore taken from my room..

on 14th dec at 10pm the briefing was held at the Lounge area at the third floor.. you can see the parents and the players listening to every word from the manager.