According to Malacca state executive councillor VP Shanmugam, the incident occurred because the coach became too emotional when his team narrowly lost to Johor 2-3 and did not perform as expected.
Apparently, it was the first time Malacca had advanced to the semi-finals.
Shanmugam clarified that the coach has met with the two players and apologised right after the incident, hence “resolving” the issue on the spot. He added that the coach is very dedicated and concerned with his players.
While I cannot fathom how a coach who has assaulted his players can still be categorised as “dedicated and concerned”, I applaud Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh for expressing great concern following the incident.
Our children have for far too long been...