KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — The government will be delving deeper into how team practices are conducted to uncover possible malpractices in Malaysia’s sports following the latest case involving a volleyball coach who was recorded slapping two teenage players.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the investigation is jointly conducted by the National Sports Council (NSC), an agency under her ministry, and the Education Ministry (MoE).
“This investigation is still ongoing, and it’s not to look at whether or not the slap had happened because we all saw it.
“It is deeper than that, this investigation is looking at the practices all this while on the team,” she told reporters at the National Sports Institute here today.
“NSC will keep me posted, once it’s completed, we will be sharing that information with MoE,” she added.
She said the investigation findings will be disclosed publicly once complete.
A video of a local volleyball coach slapping two girl players in the Melaka team during the Under-14 Junior Volleyball Championship in Kota Tinggi, Johor on December 16 last year went viral at the start of 2023, making waves in the local sports scene.
The coach, who has since been identified as 44-year-old Saiful Hadee Amar stepped forward publicly yesterday and apologised for his actions, and said he is ready to face any action even as he explained that he did not intend to hurt the players.
The MoE has suspended him from taking part in national volleyball activities pending completion of the investigations.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said on January 3 that her ministry takes a serious view of the incident and may consider disciplinary action against the coach.
