KUALA LUMPUR – Amid the ongoing crisis within the Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU), the rugby body remains steadfast in its commitment to preparing the best team for this year’s Asian Rugby Championship (ARC), scheduled to take place in Hong Kong.
The 34th edition of the tournament is slated for June 1 to 22, with Malaysia set to battle against Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea in pursuit of the coveted trophy.
Speaking to Scoop, MRU honorary secretary Fahmy Jalil said that the organisation would collaborate with its 17 state affiliates to select the most suitable players for the prestigious tournament.
Warming up to the ARC campaign, the national team will also compete in the SEA Sevens Rugby tournament, taking place in Kuala Lumpur from April 30 to May 4.
“We may have several ongoing issues within our association, but we don’t want them to affect our preparations and our target for the national team this year.
“Problems may come and go, but we want our business to run as usual, and that’s the reason we have decided to participate in the upcoming ARC, as it has been a perfect platform for our players to test themselves against some of the best teams in the Asian region.
“The ARC is a tournament very close to MRU’s heart, and we have never missed participating in the editions we were invited to.
“The team will be finalised by mid-next month and will start their preparations by participating in the Seven Series. The participating teams for the Seven Series are yet to be confirmed,” said Fahmy.
Fahmy also mentioned the importance of consistent exposure for players in tournaments like the ARC and the Seven Series, citing their role in developing the players’ experience and readiness for the 2031 Rugby World Cup in the United States, which is one of MRU’s biggest goals.
“Our biggest goal is to ensure that Malaysia qualifies for the 2031 World Cup. The new leadership, including myself, is tirelessly working towards achieving our target.
“We can’t let our problems sink our goals and disrupt our process. We are a strong national sports association, and we are here to elevate the standards of the sport.
“We need to be a part of more tournaments like the ARC to give our players the maximum exposure and also to identify new talent,” Fahmy added.
Last year’s edition of the ARC saw Malaysia finishing third, with Hong Kong emerging as champions and South Korea as the runners-up in a single round-robin format.
The top team in the standings at the end of the series is declared the winner.
MRU has encountered difficulties following disputes with one of its state affiliates, Sabah Rugby Union (SRU), regarding the legitimacy of the association’s annual general meeting and allegations of financial mismanagement.
It has been reported that SRU has opted to abstain from any MRU activities or competitions until the national body addresses the allegations concerning its financial record and the conduct of the December elections.
MRU faced controversy in December 2022 when it was discovered that an administrative staff member had allegedly embezzled a large amount of money from the organisation, with withdrawals exceeding RM1 million since 2019.
The case has been under police investigation since August of last year. – February 9, 2024