Josiah Challenges Amarjit To Take Malaysian Cycling To The Next Level

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- "What's the mission?” "Where’s the 10-year vision?” "Where's the blueprint?"

Those were the questions posed by former three-time Olympian Josiah Ng as he threw down the gauntlet to new Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Amarjit Singh.

The 44-year-old Josiah called on Amarjit to devise a comprehensive and transparent blueprint for a long-term plan aimed at strengthening the federation and the national cyclists.

Josiah said Amarjit should look at successful cycling nations, like Japan, which have strong federations that consistently produce top-tier riders.

"We have to look at successful countries, like Japan, and see what their blueprint for success is. If I were Amarjit, I would consult these countries and develop a blueprint that works for Malaysia.

"The blueprint needs to be well-crafted. I hope he (Amarjit) can put together a transparent blueprint and show everyone that this is the roadmap to success. If he's serious, he will come up with a comprehensive plan," he told Bernama here today.

Josiah, however, is confident that Amarjit, with his legal background and experience as a UCI management committee member and ASEAN Cycling Federation's first secretary-general, has the know-how to help MNCF overcome its longstanding challenges.

The three-time Asian Championships gold medallist also hopes that Amarjit will bring a fresh outlook and style of leadership to the table, noting that the federation had struggled to reach its full potential for many years.

“Amarjit’s leadership is a good thing because we need (someone with) a younger mentality to navigate the challenging processes. The MNCF have not been a strong organisation and have been very flawed. I hope Amarjit can bring the federation to the next level,” he added. 

Josiah also warned that Malaysia’s over-reliance on a few star riders, like Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, had stunted the sport’s development.

On Saturday (Oct 12), Amarjit won the MNCF presidency by garnering 35 votes to defeat Yunus Ibrahim (23 votes) in a three-way battle at the extraordinary general meeting for the 2023-2026 term in Melaka.

The MNCF president’s seat became vacant after Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab, who had held the position since 1990, died on Nov 28, 2023 due to prostate cancer.

-- BERNAMA