KUALA LUMPUR – From being written off after a turbulent spell with Malaysia’s national hockey team to masterminding Indonesia’s rise on the regional stage, Muhammad Dharma Raj Abdullah has described his coaching journey as a personal mission of redemption built on proving his doubters wrong.
Speaking in Scoop’s Sport Check episode, the former Malaysian men’s and women’s head coach said his move to Indonesia became a defining turning point in his career following his controversial stint with the national men’s team in 2014.
Dharma admitted the fallout from that period had a deep personal impact, saying it affected his confidence and emotional wellbeing before he eventually rebuilt his career abroad.
“I felt like a tiger before that incident. But after 2014, I fell sick. I went into depression. My character totally changed because of what happened,” he said.
He explained that taking over the Malaysian men’s team in 2014 came under difficult circumstances after then-head coach Paul Revington fell ill, forcing him into the role earlier than expected amid internal turmoil within the squad.
“At that time, I was not prepared to become the national coach, but the circumstances happened and I was told to take over. There was already a lot of controversy in the team. The senior players felt threatened because I came from the junior setup and many junior players were coming through,” he said.
Dharma said Malaysia’s disappointing performances at the 2014 World Cup and Commonwealth Games eventually led to his exit, something he still views as a painful chapter in his career.
“I felt regret for taking the job because I wanted to help Malaysia, but eventually I got shot down before the job was properly done,” he said.
He said his appointment in Indonesia initially came with scepticism, with some questioning his decision to take on a less-established hockey nation at the time. However, he saw it as an opportunity to rebuild both his reputation and confidence.
“I knew I had an opportunity there. People were saying I made a mistake going to Indonesia because they had problems with two federations and uncertainty over international participation, but I saw it differently,” he said.
Dharma revealed that once the federation issues in Indonesia were resolved, he was immediately absorbed into the national setup and given significant authority over the programme.
“So nobody really messed around with me there. If I say stand, you stand. If I say sit, you sit. They gave me full power over training and development,” he said.
He added that the challenge of rebuilding Indonesian hockey became a personal obsession, particularly when facing Malaysia in major competitions.
“I wanted to prove a point to myself that I can still do it. Before the SEA Games finals against Malaysia, that was the only thing in my mind morning, evening and night,” he said.
Dharma went on to guide Indonesia to back-to-back SEA Games indoor hockey gold medals, both achieved after defeating Malaysia in the final.
Recalling the dramatic 2023 Cambodia SEA Games final, he revealed how emotions and years of frustration fuelled his team talk when Indonesia trailed 3-0 late in the match.
“I told the players, ‘I have come a long way for this match. My heart is bleeding. I am not going to give up this game even if there are only 10 minutes left.’ I told them I was willing to die fighting rather than surrender,” he said.
He added that he took off the goalkeeper in a desperate tactical gamble because he had waited years for an opportunity to prove himself against Malaysia.
“I said even if we lose 10-0 or 12-0, I will still fight until the final second. Then we scored, and the last goal came just seconds before the end to force a shootout,” he said.
Dharma said the victory became a major turning point not only for Indonesian hockey but also for how he was perceived within the country.
“That match changed many things in Indonesia. Players talked about it, coaches talked about it, and people started believing hockey could become successful there,” he said.
He stressed that his journey was never driven by revenge, but by a determination to restore faith in his coaching methods after his difficult experience in Malaysia.
“I just wanted to prove that I can do it. I did not need to tell people I was good. Results will make people talk,” he said.
Dharma is currently Indonesia’s national hockey technical director, a role he has held since March 2021, overseeing steady improvements in the country’s international performances.
Among his achievements, he guided Indonesia’s men’s indoor hockey team to a historic first gold medal at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, defeating Malaysia in the final, and later helped the team retain the gold at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games.
Before joining Indonesia, Dharma had established a strong coaching reputation in Malaysia, leading the national women’s team, the Malaysian Tigress, to gold at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games and a runner-up finish in the second round of the Women’s Hockey World League.
Earlier in his career, he also gained international recognition by steering Malaysia’s junior men’s team to fourth place at the 2013 Junior World Cup — the nation’s best result in the tournament. – May 22, 2026