There are 2 Awards sponsored by MSSM and Milo - Anugerah Putera/Puteri MSSM Milo and Anugerah Tunas Harapan Putera / Puteri MSSM Milo. For the first award, each state will send 1 nomination each for boys and girls (in whatever sports that is contended in MSSM). Their achievement doesnt necessarily restricted to result in MSSM, but it covers the overall achievement in the sports (eg : represent Malaysia and with good results). And the age to be a nominee must be between 13-18 years old. For the second Award, with the same requirement BUT must be the age 7-12 years old! During my schooling years, the award ceremony will be held together with Olahragawan / Olahragawati Kebangsaan, Olahragawan/ Olahragawati Harapan, Anugerah Khas (for those excellent sports but not contested in MSSM level) and several other sports award.
The first time I heard about such awards when I was one of the nominee myself years ago - Anugerah Putera Puteri MSSM Milo. At first I thought I got selected to represent chess for Pahang, but there is more good news than that, I was selected to represent Pahang because my chess is the best achievement compared with other sports in Pahang!! Hahaha.. But the sad thing, I am so alone there. As the only chess player there, no one understood chess, other athletes are making fun at me because I play chess, except for few people, including Allahyarhamah Rabia Abdul Salam. Even though she is the popular person there (she won the award), she would treat me well like any other athlete and we became good friends there (because I sit next to her, I got the chance to meet M.Kumaresan, Rashid Sidek and his siblings also Lydia Kwan). I got selected for 2 consecutive years - 1991 and 1992. In 1991, together with my nomination was Mas Hafizul (but he didnt get to be at the Ceremony because he is not the winner) for Anugerah Tunas harapan Putera. But in 1992 I am so relieved that he was the winner, coz finally I got another chess player with me during the days there (phew!). In that year, I got to meet another friend who is a surgeon now, former gymnast - Farah Hani Imran.
Years later, I found out Mas Hafizul did win the Anugerah Putera Puteri MSSM (I think he is the only chess player to have won both awards). So, I heard, Ooi Chern Ee was once a runner up for the award (but unfortunately I cant remember which year). I am not sure, but I heard someone told me that Yeoh Li Tian won the Anugerah Tunas Harapan sometime in 2007 (I think?).
But the latest news, Nur Najiha Azman Hisham join the list this year when she won the Anugerah Tunas Puteri MSSM Milo for her achievement in 2009 where she won the WFM Title! Congrats! Not juz the family, but the whole of Women in Chess and the rest of the chess fans is celebrating!
Hope to hear next year if Alia Anin Azwa will be nominated by Melaka because of her remarkable achievement in chess and the recent WIM norm!
