Poskod Malaysia

THE 2010/2011 INSPIRED/EXPIRED AWARDS
Category: Best Use of LAZOR BEAMS

Sure, we have squash queen Nicol David and occasional badminton champion Lee Chong Wei. But Malaysians generally have few sport heroes to look up to — especially in team sports. Since its heyday in the 1970s (we qualified for the Olympics in 1972 and 1980), Malaysian football has been a joke.

That’s changing. On 29 December, the Malaysian national team was crowned champions of the ASEAN Suzuki Cup 2010, for the first time in 14 years. The young squad (made up of dudes in their early 20s, mostly) demonstrated their skill and poise early in the tournament, beating previous Cup-holders Vietnam in the semi-finals. They went on to defeat Indonesia in a two-match final round — with the help from some lasers, of course.

The PM declared New Year’s Eve a public holiday in honour of the win. Facebook Walls were flooded with admiration. The team even got Rio Ferdinand’s praise and encouragement.

Hopefully, 2011 will give Malaysians a football scene that will truly excite us, and make us proud. Goodness knows we need it, with all the depressing political stuff.

Verdict: INSPIRED — if we can keep it up.

(Norman Teh)