WILL under-fire national hockey player Hanis Nadia Onn be given a second chance to represent Malaysia at the Phnom Penh Sea Games in May?
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said Hanis, 27, can appeal the indefinite ban against her for making a racial slur over the AR Rahman concert recently.
However, Yeoh stressed that the action taken by the National Sports Council (NSC)-Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) fact-finding committee against Hanis must be respected.
"This was a joint investigation by both the NSC and MHC, and a decision had already been made, so we have to respect it.
"Whether she (Hanis) wants to appeal, she can do so by meeting either Datuk Ahmad Shapawi (Ismail, NSC director-general) or Datuk Subahan (Kamal, MHC President)," said Hannah after visiting the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara today.
Hanis, who is a key member of the national team, landed herself in hot water for her socmed account comment which implied that Indian music maestro AR Rahman's concert at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil "must be smelly".
For that, she has been barred from international tournaments by MHC until they re-evaluate her behaviour.
This means she will miss out on a chance to win her third Sea Games gold. Hanis was part of the victorious team in 2015 and 2017.
An indefinite suspension from the national team could prove costly to Hanis as she will miss out on perks such as allowances and job upgrading.
However, all is not lost as Hanis is still allowed to represent Negri Sembilan in the women's Malaysia Hockey League.