UniMAP–UUM Ready To Help The Malaysian Sepak Takraw Team

PAUH, 8 Jan – The desire to win the sepak takraw event at the 2019 Sea Games has led the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Association (PSM) delegation headed by the President Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail, to Perlis for a meeting with Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) at the UniMAP main campus yesterday.

Also present was the Universiti Utara Malaysia’s (UUM) delegation headed by Dr. Che Mohd Aziz Yaakob, a senior lecturer from the Faculty of International Studies who is the PSM Research and Development (R&D) Committee Chairperson to discuss the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Research and Development (R&D) strategic plan and the Malaysian sepak takraw team.

According to Datuk Seri Ahmad, he wants a comprehensive research to be conducted to improve the players’ performance using technology that can be offered by UniMAP and UUM.

“The budget allocation for Sepak Takraw R&D has been in existence for the last six years but it has not been fully utilised due to lack of expertise and has failed to improve players’ performance to the desired level.

“Among the technology that could be developed is a ball launching machine for training sessions to replace people,” he said.

He added that the technology development has to be rushed to help the players with their early preparation for the 2019 Sea Games in November.

“The allocation for the Sepak Takraw R&D has to be maintained so it can be fully utilised by the players because from the skills the players are still good, but their mental and physical weakness need to be properly addressed,” he said.

Meanwhile UniMAP’s Sport Centre Director Tuan Haji Suhizaz Sudin who is also in the PSM R&D Committee said that the collaboration between several researchers from UniMAP and UUM is a smart move to achieve PSM’s goals.

“We will study in detail a number of aspects such as the players’ coordination, body posture, players’ anticipation and other aspects to get a comprehensive result in fulfilling PSM’s needs.

“But it will take time. So, for players’ preparation in facing our traditional adversary Thailand at the 2019 Sea Games, we will prioritise our focus and improvement will be made from time to time,” he said.

As for the national team coach, Mohd Helmi Ismail, he wants the technology to consistently improve players’ technique and could be used by all players according to their physical and mental suitability.

“Height, body flexibility, skills, emotion and others are interrelated factors and we need to do a research that can be adjusted to the players’ condition.

“We have model players that can demonstrate good play but to apply one players’ technique to another player has yet to be successfully done,” he said.

He added that the more flexible a player’s body is, the easier it is for the coach to devise game techniques and to reduce any form of injury.

Meanwhile, the National Sport Institute’s (ISN) Head of Sports Performance, High Performance Branch, Muhammad Fawwas Jamal said that they support the Sepak Takraw strategic plan and welcome the use of ISN facilities for the development of the sport.

“The researchers can use all facilities provided at ISN such as the biomechanic and 3D camera for research purposes to improve players’ performance,” he said.

Also present was the PSM Secretary General His Honourable (YB) Senator Datuk Haji Abidullah Haji Salleh, PSM Treasurer Datuk Abdul Jalil Ariffin, UniMAP’s Sport Engineering Research Centre of Excellence Manager Prof Madya Mazelan Abd Hamid and the officers from ISN.