The Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) today announced the MCA Special Development Committee which will focus on managing government grants and funds to ensure effective utilisation to support the development of cricket nationwide.
According to MCA president Mohammed Iqbal Ali bin Kassim Ali, the idea for the committee came about after Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an RM1 million budget allocation for cricket development in October last year.
He said, “I’m hopeful and I’m looking forward to utilising the funds for developing cricket at the grassroots level. This is why we have gathered a group of people who know cricket and are on the ground scouting up-and-coming young players.”
Mohammed Iqbal who was also a former national cricketer and team captain, implied that while the amount allocated may not be enough for developing high-performing athletes in the sport, it is a good starting point.
He added that this is why MCA is focusing first on grassroots cricket and rolling out talent identification programmes across the country specifically to identify the players that Malaysia needs, and ultimately to build a sustainable and successful cricketing ecosystem in the years to come.
The special development committee was also initiated in recognition of the importance of proper governance, in line with the aspirations of Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
“I’m pleased to note that the Malaysian Cricket Association has formed a special committee to manage the grant that the Malaysian government will give, which was announced by YAB Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This shows a commitment to governance and a commitment to ensure that taxpayer’s money is spent in a most efficient manner to achieve the developmental goals that it is meant for,” said Hannah in an MCA statement released after the national jersey handover to the under-19 women’s cricket team in Bayuemas Cricket Oval in Pandamaran, Klang, Malaysia.
The national team will be competing in the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup which kicked off today. Their first match will be against Sri Lanka tomorrow at 10:30 am at the Bayuemas Cricket Oval, followed by India on 21 January and West Indies on 23 January.
The MCA special development committee consist of members representing different regions nationwide including Sabah and Sarawak, who will be in charge of scouting potential players around the country. It is co-chaired by Dr. Arun Kumar Beshamber Nath, Ahmad Salman Othman, and Senathiraj Thevaratnam. The committee members include Nor Azlan Shah Mohd Redhun and Thangarajan A/L Thilahar representing the northern region; Jerome Fernandez and Haiqal Mohd. Khair for the central region; Zaid Asyraf for the southern states; Zainuddin Harun for the East Coast; and Peter Budin and Victor Gramen for Sabah and Sarawak respectively. 
