24/09/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | SEPT 24, 2025

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‘No regrets over reward issue’ PCM welcomes MACC’s views on Liek Hou incentive controversy

RESULTS & STANDINGS

KELANTAN Red Warriors FC (KRW) head coach Irfan Bakti admitted that three matches into the A1 Semi Pro League sea son, his players are still struggling to find the back of the net. The 74-year-old coach said the primary focus of the east coast team now is sharp ening their finishing ahead of their fourth A1 Semi Pro League clash against Selangor FC II at the UPM Mini Stadium in Serdang tomorrow. “The lack of a finisher is the main reason we have failed to secure a win. We don’t have a player who can truly score goals, so training sessions are now fully focused on finishing,” he told Bernama yesterday. After three matches, KRW is in 15th place out of 16 teams, with two points from two draws and one defeat, and having scored only one goal so far. To address their struggles in front of goal, Irfan said his squad has undergone intensive training to end their winless run, expressing confidence that his players are capable of securing a positive result away from home. “The players have actually not played badly, it’s just that the finishing is the prob lem. I want all players to raise their physical and mental levels ahead of Thursday’s clash,” he said. Interestingly, the match against Selangor FC II will be KRW’s first afternoon game this season. “This isn’t just about technical aspects, but also about how players manage pres sure. We need to be more focused and put in more effort to achieve our first victory,”he said. – Bernama KRW to focus on finishing ITALIAN SERIE A: Napoli 3 (Gilmour 39, Spinazzola 73, Lucca 82) Pisa 2 (Nzola 60 pen, Lorran 90) . TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Napoli 4 4 0 0 9 3 12 Juventus 4 3 1 0 8 4 10 AC Milan 4 3 0 1 7 2 9 Roma 4 3 0 1 3 1 9 Atalanta 4 2 2 0 9 3 8 Cremonese 4 2 2 0 5 3 8 Cagliari 4 2 1 1 5 3 7 Como 4 2 1 1 5 3 7 Udinese 4 2 1 1 4 5 7 Inter Milan 4 2 0 2 11 7 6 Bologna 4 2 0 2 3 3 6 Torino 4 1 1 2 1 8 4 Lazio 4 1 0 3 4 4 3 Sassuolo 4 1 0 3 4 7 3 Verona 4 0 3 1 2 6 3 Genoa 4 0 2 2 2 4 2 Fiorentina 4 0 2 2 3 6 2 Parma 4 0 2 2 1 5 2 Pisa 4 0 1 3 3 6 1 Lecce 4 0 1 3 2 8 1 FRENCH LIGUE 1: Marseille 1 Paris Saint-Germain 0. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Monaco 5 4 0 1 13 7 12 Paris SG 5 4 0 1 10 4 12 Lyon 5 4 0 1 7 3 12 Strasbourg 5 4 0 1 8 5 12 Lille 5 3 1 1 13 8 10 Marseille 5 3 0 2 10 4 9 ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Millwall 1 Watford 0. TOP 10 P W D L F A Pts Mid’boro 6 5 1 0 11 4 16 Stoke 6 4 0 2 9 4 12 Bristol City 6 3 2 1 13 7 11 Leicester 6 3 2 1 8 5 11 Preston 6 3 2 1 7 5 11 Coventry 6 2 4 0 15 7 10 West Brom 6 3 1 2 7 6 10 Birmingham 6 3 1 2 5 5 10 QPR 6 3 1 2 10 12 10 Millwall 6 3 1 2 5 7 10

P ARALYMPIC badminton champion Cheah Liek Hou said he does not regret speaking out on the reward issue involving the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM), stressing that he was fighting for the rights of all para athletes. The two-time Paralympic men’s singles SU5 (physical impairment) gold medallist said his action was not only to protect his own rights but also those of fellow athletes and juniors. “If I don’t voice this out, these things will hap pen to maybe my juniors or up-and-coming para athletes again and again. “So, for me, I will try my best to represent all the para athletes to voice out and solve all the prob lems,” he told a press conference yesterday. He expressed hope that the issue would not recur and suggested that all sports bodies and ath letes use the Road To Gold sponsorship template to

Meanwhile, PCM has welcomed the advice of Tan Sri Azam Baki on the incentive issue affecting para badminton star Liek Hou, which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner has described as a governance issue. In a statement yesterday, PCM said its president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin has directly engaged with Azam to provide further clari fication on the matter. “The PCM president stressed that PCM will con tinue to uphold the Corruption-Free Pledge, which was signed together with 23 National Para Sports Associations on Nov 25, 2021,” the statement said. Azam said weaknesses in governance and a lack of transparency were the root causes of the contro versy involving Liek Hou. He said shortcomings in information delivery and policy implementation could lead to misun derstandings and frustration, particularly among beneficiaries. According to media reports, Megat D Shahriman had announced last year that cash rewards of RM60,000 each awaited athletes who brought home a gold medal at the prestigious event, sponsored by three companies to boost the national athletes’ motivation in their quest for gold in Paris. However, the delay in payment led to a public dispute, with PCM last Thursday even considering legal action and suspension against the athlete. Yeoh, however, confirmed on Sunday that no suspension would be imposed as Liek Hou’s demand was not a disciplinary breach but instead related to an outstanding sponsorship pledge. In the same statement, PCM also thanked the Youth and Sports Ministry for sharing the Road To Gold (RTG) sponsorship ‘template,’ which will now serve as an additional reference to ensure that sponsors’ promised rewards are officially docu mented. “PCM manages contractual obligations accord ing to procedure, but in the process of securing sponsorships or rewards, unforeseen circum stances such as sponsor withdrawals may occur. “In such situations, PCM will inform all stake holders of any changes with full transparency,” the statement said. – Bernama

ensure that rewards promised by sponsors are for mally documented. Earlier, the 38-year-old player, together with national powerlifting ace Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, each received a top-up reward of RM35,000 from retail chain 99 Speed Mart Sdn Bhd for their gold medal wins at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Liek Hou said that with yesterday’s additional contribution, he has effectively received the RM60,000 promised by PCM earlier, after already receiving RM25,000 from the council. Recently, Liek Hou sparked controversy after claiming that PCM had failed to fulfil its RM60,000 cash reward promise for his Paris 2024 triumph, expressing his disappointment on social media. At the same press conference, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the issue is now con sidered settled after 99 Speed Mart stepped in with the top-up rewards.

Para-athlete, Cheah Liek Hou poses with a replica of the cheque he received at the press conference at Menara KBS yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

SHORTS

The result extended KL City’s unbeaten run to five matches since their 3-0 victory over newcomers Imigresen FC on Aug 9. Cheong Min bags gold at Wushu Championships NATIONAL wushu queen Tan Cheong Min delivered Malaysia’s first gold medal on the first day of the 1st Asean-China Women’s Wushu Championships 2025 held at Royale Chulan Seremban, yester day. According to the National Sports Council (NSC) Facebook post, Cheong Min emerged champion in the Adult Divisions Nanquan event after an energetic display earned her 9.703 points, edging out China’s Fu Zhenli who scored 9.680 points. Malaysia also recorded several other commendable results on the first day, with Pang Pui Yee clinching silver in the Adult Divisions Changquan with 9.750 points behind China’s Xu Jiaqian (9.773), while the bronze went to Singapore’s Tan Zoe Ziyi (9.720). In the Adult Divisions Taijiquan, the national contingent added more medals through Sydney Chin Sy Xuan and Mandy Cebelle Chen, who secured silver and bronze medals respectively. In the junior categories, Amber Tan Ling Xin contributed a bronze

medal for Malaysia in the Junior Divisions Changquan, while Tan Chui Yu claimed silver in the Junior Divisions Nanquan. Hon Jian-Haikal advance to round two NATIONAL men’s doubles pair Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri advanced to the sec ond round of the Korea Open after defeating Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul at the Suwon Gymnasium yester day. The Malaysians delivered a dominant performance to win 21 19, 21-12 in just 36 minutes. They will meet either fourth seeds Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan or Indonesia’s Muhammad Rian Ardianto-Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan in the next round. However, it was a mixed day for the Malaysian camp as three other men’s doubles pairs failed to pro gress. Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong were forced to retire at 2-2 against Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa Kyohei Yamashita, while Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong bowed out 18-21, 12-21 to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in the round of 32. Lau Yi Sheng-Lim Tze Jian also fell short in the men’s doubles quali fiers after going down 7-21, 17-21 to

South Korea’s Song Hyun Cho-Jin Sung Ik. In the women’s doubles, Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing were beaten 21 13, 21-11 by Taiwan’s Hsu Yin Hui Lin Jhih Yun, while in the mixed doubles qualifiers, Loo Bing Kun-Go Pei Kee went down fighting 19-21, 18-21 to Taiwan’s Lin Bing Wei-Lin Jhih Yun. ‘Malaysia can do better’ MALAYSIA could have performed better in their 7-1 thrashing of Bangladesh in a Group G match of the 2026 Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers last night, said national head coach Rakhpol Sainetngam. He said his team had wasted many scoring opportunities due to their poor finishing. “We made many mistakes, espe cially in attack, while Bangladesh played well with a solid defence,” he said at the post-match press confer ence at the Sukpa Indoor Stadium. Commenting on the final group match against Iran today, he acknowledged their opponents as an Asian powerhouse but stressed that the Malaysian squad should not be intimidated. “We need to stay focused and deliver a good performance… this is our home. We will try to fight, and good tactics are also important,” he said.

Safawi stars for KL City AN all-round performance from winger Muhammad Safawi Rasid helped Kuala Lumpur City (KL City) FC move into second place in the Super League as they thrashed DPMM FC 4-0 in Brunei on Monday. Although both teams displayed balanced play in the first half at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, the hosts came close through striker Muhammad Ramadhan Sananta in the 14th minute, only to be denied by goalkeeper Quincy Kameraad. A costly mistake from DPMM defender Pengiran Yura Indera Putera Pengiran Yunos, whose back pass was poorly handled by goal keeper Muhammad Haimie Abdullah Nyaring, gifted KL City their opening goal in the 25th min ute. KL City doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Spanish import Victor Ruiz struck home from Muhammad Safawi’s delivery from the middle of the park. The 28-year-old then scored a brace as he capitalised on a pass from skipper Zhafri Yahya to fire in a thunderous strike for KL City’s third goal in the 64th minute, before calmly slotting home Ruiz’s through ball in the 84th to seal a comprehensive win.