Singaporean Silat athlete, Muhammad Shakir Bin Juanda was nominated by the Singapore Silat Federation for the Sportsman of the Year award this year. In December 2012, he was crowned world champion at the World Pencak Silat Championships in Chiang Rai, Thailand, after he came from behind to beat Vietnamese favourite Le Si Kien in the Class-I (85-90kg) category. He also took home the title of Best Athlete of the entire tournament.
Nonetheless, this was not good enough for the Singapore Sports Council (SSC). For the third time in the last five years, no award was handed out for the Sportsman of the Year category of the Singapore Sports Awards (SSA).
The SSA Selection Committee felt that none of the four male athletes nominated had made a significant enough achievement in 2012. None even made it as finalists, not to mention an award recipient. Table-tennis paddler, Feng Tianwei won Sportswoman of the Year.
“The male athletes have done well, but (their results are) not in the same league as the rest,” said Chairwoman of this year’s SSA, Jessie Phua.
Singapore Silat Federation head, Sheik Alauddin, wants an apology from her. Sheik’s fury stems from the omission of the Sportsman of the Year accolade from this year’s awards.
I do not know much about silat, but to be crowned world champion, Shakir must have competed and beat many other athletes from around the world. That should account for something.
If he is the best in the world for Silat already, what else must Shakir do to be crowned Singapore Sportsman of the Year?
Well, Shakir obviously have not tried hard enough. Here are a few other opponents he can consider fighting and winning to put him on the same standard as Feng Tianwei:
1. Son Goku – not just in any mode, Shakir needs to defeat Goku in Super Saiyan mode.
2. Bruce Lee – you have to defeat the undisputed king of martial arts to be the best in silat. Find a way to travel back time and fight Bruce Lee.
3. Guan Yu – detified as the God of War by many devotees, winning this fight will be a celestial victory for Shakir.
4. The Incredible Hulk – Shakir needs to prove that he can fight against larger opponents.
5. Predator – Shakir needs more international/ intergalactic fight experience.
Defeat these five opponents first, then we talk about Singapore Sportsman of the Year. 🙂
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Super sarcastic sia:))
I would like to add that Mr. Shakir also did all this while studied for a BSc Sport Coaching and obtaining a very good level of work!
Reblogged this on Gazali Unplugged and commented:
I guess it's tougher being a paddler than getting beaten up in a silat competition; being the underdog, winning and crowned world champion at the World Pencak Silat Championship.
And on top of that getting the title of Best Athlete of the entire tournament,
According to Jessie Phua, Chairwoman of Singapore Sports Awards: “The male athletes have done well, but (their results are) not in the same league as the rest,”
Jessie is telling ,Silat not to submit for sportsman award in future because your world champion is not good enough