THE Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) will play by the book -- the two Terengganu riders who left for home without informing the administration now face disciplinary action.

A third rider -- Jasmin Ruslan -- MNCF deputy president and track committee chairman Datuk Naim Mohamad said, had already been told to buck up, failing which his t contract would not be renewed at the end of last month. With that in knowledge, the rider had submitted his resignation.

Shahrul Mat Amin too resigned from the national programme after barely a year riding for the senior squad and is now employed by the Terengganu Sports Council, but not as a cyclist.

Harrif Salleh and Saiful Anuar Aziz, who had left the National Sports Council (NSC) and moved back to Kuala Terengganu after finding employment with state government bodies there, had not informed the administration of their new status.

As such, Naim said, the duo will be called for an enquiry and could be facing disciplinary action.
Saiful and Harrif have found employment with the Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT).



It was yesterday reported that at least five Terengganu riders in the national track endurance programme had ditched the squad and returned to their home state to seek employment, but clearly there is more to it than just concerns about job security. The MNCF, though, will not jump to conclusions.

"The committee had already made it clear to two riders, Jasmin and Thum Weng Kin, that they had to buck up or their contracts would not be renewed. Jasmin had not improved so his fate would have already been sealed.

"Having said that, we had also informed the whole endurance squad, including the coaches, of the need for them to buck up and start producing results," said Naim.

"As far as Harrif and Saiful are concerned, we found out that they have a one-month obligation to serve their employers before they can be released for national duty. The problem is that they did not inform the administration about all this and that they were going back to stay in Terengganu. This is a disciplinary matter."

Naim however, offered no answers to questions about the high turnover of riders in the endurance programme with so many riders leaving the squad after short periods serving under the current coaching regime.

"We've informed the coaches that they too need to buck up. Director of coaching John Beasley will be back here next week and I will be having some discussions with him to see how we can solve certain problems," said Naim. -- ARNAZ M. KHAIRUL