Fernandes beli West Ham (Utusan Melayu Online)

Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes

KUALA LUMPUR - Dua tokoh korporat tempatan, Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes dan Datuk Kamaruddin Meranum kini di peringkat akhir untuk membeli kelab bola sepak Liga Perdana England, West Ham United.

Sumber memberitahu, pembelian kelab yang dibimbing oleh Gianfranco Zola itu akan dimuktamadkan dalam tempoh dua minggu akan datang.

Katanya, menerusi pembelian tersebut, Fernandes, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan AirAsia Bhd. (AirAsia) dan Kamaruddin, Timbalan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, akan memegang 51 peratus saham kelab tersebut.

''Pemilikan kelab West Ham oleh kedua-dua tokoh korporat itu adalah pelaburan peribadi dan ia tidak melibatkan kepentingan syarikat AirAsia,'' kata sumber tersebut.

Fernandes merupakan penyokong setia West Ham.

Beliau juga adalah Ketua Pasukan Lotus F1 Racing manakala Kamaruddin merupakan Pengarah pasukan yang akan beraksi dalam perlumbaan Formula Satu (F1) musim ini.

Tambah sumber tersebut, pemilikan kelab England itu turut membuktikan kemampuan rakyat Malaysia membeli sebuah kelab yang beraksi dalam liga bola sepak terkemuka di dunia.

''Pemilikan West Ham oleh kedua-dua tokoh korporat itu kena pada masanya kerana ketika ini para pemain bola sepak negara sedang mencari kelab untuk berlatih di Eropah.

''Atas semangat 1Malaysia, saya percaya mereka tiada halangan untuk memberi kebenaran jika Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) mahu menempatkan para pemain negara di West Ham,'' kata sumber tersebut..

West Ham United berpusat di Upton Park, timur London, menduduki tangga keempat tercorot Liga Perdana England dengan mengumpul 18 mata dari 20 perlawanan, di depan, Bolton, Hull dan Portsmouth.

Antara pemain utama West termasuk Scott Parker, pemain kebangsaan England, Matthew Upson, penjaga gol Robert Green serta Kieron Dyer.

Musim lalu, West Ham menduduki tempat kesembilan dan kedudukan terbaik kelab itu dalam Liga Perdana ialah di tangga kelima pada 1998-99.

Preparations To Start Early For 2011 Sea Games - Ahmad Shabery (BERNAMA)

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- Preparations for the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia is expected to start early although the Laos SEA Games had just ended three days ago.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek who has directed the National Sports Council (NSC) to start preparations early, said since Indonesia are expected to host the 2011 SEA Games in June, there would only be 18 months before the next SEA Games.

"Furthermore, we have to start preparing all the logistics involved, including the delegation of duties for officers involved since the Games will be hosted at four main venues," he told reporters after chairing the NSC's Board meeting here on Monday.

Indonesia which has a population of 222 million are said to have scheduled the Games at four venues - Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Semarang.

Ahmad Shabery said the meeting also adopted a proposal to take a different approach since other countries have managed to achieve a better ranking in the Laos SEA Games.

"It must be given proper attention because it is what the people want. Like football being the most popular sport, we need to defend the gold medal. We have also won the football gold in the 1979 Jakarta SEA Games," he said.

Meanwhile, NSC director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong said preparations for the 2011 SEA Games would start soon.

He added that since the allocation for the NSC had been reduced, the council would be prudent in their spending.

"Though we will be prudent, sports that did well in Laos, like boxing and silat will be allocated additional funds for their preparations. It was also agreed during the meeting to send 12 coaches for a one year stint in Canada as part of preparations for the 2012 London Olympics," he said.

He added that though NSC has yet to identify the 12 coaches, there was a possibility that the coaches would be among those involved in the Road To London 2012 programme involving badminton, archery, cycling and diving.

-- BERNAMA