Azalina honoured for boosting image of women in sports

Azalina honoured for boosting image of women in sports

By RAJES PAUL

PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said was accorded the 2007 Women and Sport award yesterday for boosting the image of women in sports.

The vibrant Azalina, who was nominated by the Women Sports and Fitness Foundation of Malaysia (WSFFM), received the prestigious award from the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar last night.

Recognition: Azalina lifting the trophy after receiving it from Tunku Imran.

The other nominees were Chee Shin Lim of the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia (TTAM) and Normala Rashid of the Perak Women's Football Association.

The OCM's vice president Low Beng Choo said that Azalina was the perfect choice for the award.

“Datuk Azalina was selected based on her tremendous contribution towards women and sports in Malaysia. In fact, she is the core founder of the WSFFM,” said Beng Choo, who is also the OCM's Women in Sport committee chairman.

Under Azalina's leadership, who became the country's first woman sports minister in 2004, the participation of women in sports has increased.

The Women Games, initiated two years ago, was also the brainchild of Azalina, which saw the participation of women from the grassroots level – either as participators or officials.

The past winners of the main award are Khaw Choon Ean (2003, gymnastics), Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali (2004), Lim Chiew Ah (2005, wushu) and Petrina Low (2006, gymnastics).

Two sports officials – Ee Phoeh Hoon of squash and Kok Mong Lian of gymnastics – were also honoured for their contributions at the grassroots level yesterday.

Phoeh Hoon, who initiated the Squash Racquets Association of Penang's junior development programme in 1988, was named as the recipient of the Women and Sports Grassroots Development award while long-serving official Mong Lian or fondly known as “Mama Kok” by the gymnastics fraternity, received the Women and Sport Award for Community Development.

Two men – Tan See Wah and Tan Wah Heng – were the recipients of the Women and Sport Partnership award.

See Wah had been successful as the coach of the national women's basketball team while Wah Heng had been the team manager with the midas touch. Together, both had led the team to win three SEA Games gold medals.

The Star 21 July 2007