Early boost to AUG hopes

With less than four months to go to the Laos Asean University Games (AUG), Malaysian silat exponents sent a clear warning to their rivals when they dominated proceedings on the final day of competition to clinch the overall champions title at the Deputy Prime Minister's International Pencak Silat Cup at the Square One Mall in Batu Pahat yesterday.

Malaysia emerged the overall champions at the Deputy Prime Minister’s International Pencak Silat Cup in Batu Pahat yesterday.

Malaysia emerged champions of the international category with a haul of 14 gold, three silver and five bronze medals with Singapore second with 5-9-3 and Vietnam third (2-3-2).

Malaysia team manager Azli Buddin said he was delighted with the victory, which he considered a huge boost for the exponents ahead of the AUG.

"This victory is the result of all the hard work and systematic planning our exponents and coaches have put in since the beginning of the year," said Azli, who is also the tournament director.

"We, however, cannot afford to rest on our laurels and will keep working hard in preparation for the Games."

Azli, who is also the Malaysian AUG silat team manager, said a number of talented new exponents had been identified from the tournament and have been shortlisted for the 28-member AUG squad.

The Malaysian team at the Pencak Silat Cup were represented by exponents from the Malaysian Universities Silat Focus Centre based in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn' s Johor campus.

"Quite a number of the exponents from our local category impressed us during the tournament and we will likely include at least three in the AUG squad."

Malaysia's Mohd Faizul Nasir and Siti Zubaidah Che Omar were picked as the top man and woman exponent respectively in the international category respectively.

Meanwhile, the local universities category saw Universiti Teknologi Mara emerge overall champions with eight gold, one silver and three bronze. Second were Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (4-2-4) with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (3-3-2) third.

Sourced from: http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/silat-early-boost-to-aug-hopes-1.147319

Last chance for hopefuls

Deputy Prime Minister’s International Pencak Silat Cup deputy chairman Prof Dr. Amir Hashim Mohd Kassim (centre), tournament director Azli Puddin (left) and Ministry of Higher Education Sports Department representative Tony Azman Hassan admiring the tournament trophy recently. Bernama pic 1 / 1 Malaysian AUG silat team manager Azli Puddin said 28 places on the team for Laos are up for grabs with the Pencak Silat Cup, to be held at the Square One Mall in Batu Pahat, being the final selection before the panel of national coaches finalises the squad.

COMPETITION for places on the national team heading to the Laos Asean University Games (AUG) is expected to climax when the Deputy Prime Minister's International Pencak Silat Cup moves into the business end of the tournament starting today.

The tournament, which has drawn over 600 entries from 11 countries and started with the preliminary rounds on Wednesday, moves into the knockout stages today. The competition ends tomorrow.

"We have done several rounds of selection including at the Malaysia Games, National Championships and also the Malaysian Universities Sports Council (Masum) Championships," said Azli, who is also the Pencak Silat Cup tournament director.

"We have a rough idea which exponents we will bring to the AUG. However, we are using this tournament to give those hoping to represent Malaysia in Laos a last chance to impress. This tournament provides students from every institution of higher learning the opportunity to show off their skills whether they are from public, private universities or polytechnics.

"We will convene for a selection panel meeting to discuss our choices when the tournament ends and announce the final 28-man squad within a week."

Azli added that the Pencak Silat Cup, organised by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and the Higher Education Ministry with support from the Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA), also provides the opportunity for Malaysian exponents to gauge their level of preparation before the AUG on Dec 12-22.

As one of the eight major university championships organised by the Higher Education Ministry annually, winners at the Pencak Silat Cup will also be contributing to their universities medal tallies at the Malaysian Institutions of Higher Learning Games (SUKIPT) which will held next month.

Written by Fadhli Ishak
Sourced from: http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/silat-last-chance-for-hopefuls-1.146508#ixzz274aWMmBG

PENCAK SILAT: Making sound progress on two fronts

The Ministry of Higher Education's efforts to develop pencak silat both as a sport and a relevant industry have found some success.

With the Deputy Prime Minister's Cup International Pencak Silat Tournament in Batu Pahat, Johor on Sept 17-22 set to feature 600 exponents, including 80 representatives from foreign institutes of higher learning, that success will be further established. This will be the third edition of the tournament that was first held in Kulai, Johor in 2010, followed by the second at Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur last year. Tun Hussein Onn University Malaysia (UTHM) deputy vice chancellor of student affairs Professor Dr Amir Hisham Mohd Kassim said the growth is particularly seen in the increase in interest from foreign university students.

"While we began with foreign participation from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, this time the number of countries participating will see a significant increase, adding to the prestige of the international category contested in the tournament," said Dr Amir Hisham.

This year's tournament, which will see 44 gold medals contested, will also welcome participation from Brunei, Laos, The Philippines, Belgium and the Netherlands. "We have also made significant progress in promoting the Malay version of silat actively to foreign students attending local universities," said Dr Amir Hisham. "Foreign students have also been given the chance to deepen their knowledge of silat, through placements with traditional silat schools in rural areas."

With 520 Malaysian students competing, the event will also feature medals for top ranked local exponents, while the international category will also see the host contingent defending the overall title they won last year after losing out to Singapore in 2010.

There will also be a category for Malaysia-based foreign students. The gold medals in the Malaysian category will also count towards the medal tally of the Institutes of Higher Learning Games in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 28-Nov 11.

Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/nation/politics/pencak-silat-making-sound-progress-on-two-fronts-1.142522#ixzz26DvrXaPh