Berlin to Brickedonbury

I am a football player by myself, and the passion runs in me as my medium of satisfaction in life. Harsh tackles and invisible yet tight man-marking are the way the football is, they could be tolerated as I could channelled it through my course of improvement on the field. Harsh words towards my family? Put glory and nation aside, family is the backbone in my life. Patience has its limit enveloped by the ideal circumstances, and an eye is for an eye. We have Dignity and Self Respect, do I need to repeat the words?

Always put yourself in other people's shoes, in time of analysing issues.

Vis-a-vis the RM 490 m sports complex proposal in Brickedonbury. I shall present Tan Sri Dr. B.C. Sekhars food for thoughts in clearing the fog of arguments -

"MANY conflicting and erroneous statements have appeared in the Press. Let me clearly state the situation of the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC) in Brickendonbury, in relation to ownership of the land, restrictions clearly laid down in the Memorandum and Articles of the Association under which TARRC operates, the control of the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) on the research and development programme and perhaps state categorically the research value of this unit in the United Kingdom for Malaysia.

As I have been associated with this outfit since 1949, I am clearly aware of the history and geography of the entire Malaysian association.

• The Memorandum and Articles of the Association registered in 1938 clearly confines the objectives to research and development related to natural rubber and related materials. They have for 68 years enjoyed tax-free status.

• Consequent to the name changes from BRPRA to NRPRA, then MRPRA and in 1977 to Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, amendments made were consequential to name changes with restricted objectives of research and development clearly maintained including ownership of assets.

• The land at Brickedonbury was bought with the reserves the association had accumulated by 1971. The annual research and development activities budgeted for were funded by the MRRDB (now MRB).

• The association (TARRC) owns the land, not the MRB. The MRB obviously has full control on the research and development programme of TARRC and related activities.

• The existence of some recreational facilities for the staff in TARRC is perhaps more modest than what we have in research and development institutions in Malaysia.

• The question of spending millions on the sports academy is irrelevant to the issue of TARRC’s research activity. The research operations and expertise have been built over 68 years.
The laboratory is a unique window to Western science and expertise which Malaysia can tap at will and the reputation the laboratory has established in elastomer science and fundamental science across the globe is not only outstanding but one of a kind. Many of the researchers can be found as professors in Ivy League universities in the United States and United Kingdom.

The laboratory developed fundamental information in oxidation chemistry, sulphur vulcanisation mechanisms, rubber crystallisation, and many other fields. The laboratory spearheaded the developments of earthquake isolation devices, bridge bearings and vibration buildings and heavy machinery. The laboratory is recognised by the University of London.

They have always operated at the cutting edge and continue to enjoy close relationship with researchers and research companies all around Europe, the United States and Canada. They are certainly equipped to meet the challenges posed by the development of biotechnology relevant to Malaysia.

I do not wish to pursue this issue any more in public. Obviously I will be happy to clarify any or all the statements made in this letter. I stand with all I have said in this letter” - July 18, 2006

Oh ya Nik, Sven-Goran Erikkson is not in the list of my personal top coaches in the world. He could be visualised as the winner of The Most Successful Coach in Cheating the English FA, having made the latter to pay him high wages at the benefit of winning the World Cup 2006 in Deutschland.

Thus, whatever plan that our government has, the essentials are the right people and the systematic execution.

First class mentality eh?

Cheers cheers.