PETALING JAYA: There is fresh hope for the national handball team to make a return to the SEA Games in Thailand this December.
But first, the Malaysian Handball Federation (MAHF) need to settle an old debt.
Their president Datuk Pandak Ahmad said their meeting with the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) on Aug 13 yielded a positive outcome, with the national body given conditional approval to feature at the Games provided the outstanding debts amounting to RM133,419.20 are paid.
The debt stems from unpaid participation fees for the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta/Palembang, which previously led to MAHF’s membership being revoked by OCM.
As part of the proposal, MAHF suggested a repayment plan of RM3,000 to RM5,000 a month and are determined to clear the debt earlier if possible.
“Our discussion with OCM went smoothly. If this plan is approved, we will start payments next month.
“We want handball to return to the SEA Games. Preparations have already begun, including the Under-16 Championship in Terengganu this year,” said Pandak.
With both parties now reaching a positive agreement, Pandak is also optimistic that OCM will approve MAHF’s reinstatement into the national body.
For now, the national handball squad have been placed under Category B for the SEA Games in Thailand, which means they will have to bear their own participation costs.
Even so, Pandak is confident that the team’s return to the biennial Games will produce encouraging results.
Malaysia last won SEA Games handball medals in 2007 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, taking home two bronzes. Since then, the sport has only returned once – at the 2021 Hanoi Games – but Malaysia did not take part.
