Aahh..press conferences! Seems like the most favourite and compulsory thing for organisers and sports people in Malaysia these days. PC, as the media guys would call it, has been the main source for news among sportswriters and reporters in the country, especially for the last decade or so. But to me personally, it has turned sour lately with too many stereotyped, repetitious and rhetoric story angles dominating Malaysian sports via print and electronic media.
Yesterday was another classic example of one, coincidentally involving Sports Minister and, also coincidentally, during the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
Perhaps some same group of sportswriters, asking more or less the same kind of questions from the same Sports Minister who had on previous occasions had also said almost the same phrases. No malice to Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek on this matter. He had given his comments to reporters immediately after news broke out that Safee Sali has become the first Malaysian footballer to play in Indonesia's Djarum Super League in February. Shabery was also quoted in Manchester on track cycling star, Azizulhasni Awang's freak accident at the Manchester Velodrome.
But nothing new in Malaysian sports reporting. They just had to ask him on a day after Safe scored on his debut for Pelita. Malaysian sports press was also excited to hear an update from the Minister who had returned to Kuala Lumpur after a State visit with the PM to Australia where they had also met with Azizulhasni in Melbourne.
What else is there for these so called "up-and-coming" group of sportswriters who had gathered on their association's (SAM) awards. They must ask something from the Sports Minister who is, afterall, their Guest of Honour!
But what else does Shabery has to say, other than the same old "bangga... semangat...bukti...produk Malaysia...jadi contoh ikutan.."
We have heard that too many times before and fully understand it! However, I still think that it is about time the Malaysian sports press comes out with 'something new' and a slightly higher level of intelligence.
But, WHAT THEN?, they might ask!
1) Up-date angle
2) To fill page (sub-editors need 'something')
3) Follow-up on something
4) 'Other' stories/angle are difficult (lazy to think lah)
5) Malaysian Sports Ministers always craves for the media
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