Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
When Sarjit met Subahan, the explanation was clearer, but no less contentious.
“He told me he was not happy with the world ranking,” Sarjit said.
Sarjit said the conversation also turned to a remark he had made about the need for a larger player pool.
He told me he took issue with my remark that we need more players,” he said.
Sarjit insisted his comment was taken out of context.
“We have so many tournaments coming, the
Nations Cup, World Cup, Asian Games, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Asian
Champions Trophy. We need more players so we can rotate,” he said. “I
said it in a good way.”
The disagreement hinted at a deeper
divide between the demands of international hockey and expectations at
the administrative level.
Subahan, however, remained focused on
Malaysia’s slide in the world rankings following defeats at the World
Cup qualifier in Ismailia, Egypt.
But Sarjit pointed to what he believed should have carried greater weight.
“I told him I had already said we would qualify for the World Cup, and we did,” he said. “So I think it’s not fair.”
For Sarjit, the issue was not just the decision, but the timing.
“I think I am the first coach to take a team to the World Cup and not go with them,” he said.
No report, no process
Beyond results, Sarjit questioned how the decision was handled
“You must understand, I had just come back. They had not even seen my report,” he said.
The post-tournament report, he argued, should have been central to any evaluation.
“I have all the data on penalty corners, goals conceded, everything. But I got the boot before anyone read it,” he said.
He also raised concerns over the lack of notice.
“They should give adequate notice, not just remove me like this,” he said.
Sarjit further claimed the coaching and development committee was not part of the decision-making process.
He said it had already been finalised, and Manjit told him he could not intervene.
Majid
Manjit Abdullah, who heads the coaching and development panel, is
hard-pressed to explain the committee’s role and involvement in the
coaching change.
Pressed on whether this reflected a breakdown in governance, Sarjit stopped short of direct criticism.
“I don’t want to comment on that,” he said. “But the coaching committee plays a very important role.”
‘We qualified, yet I was removed’
At the heart of Sarjit’s frustration is a simple argument.
He met the target set for him.
“When I took the job, I said give me two years. If I don’t qualify for the World Cup, I will resign,” he said. “I kept my word.”
Malaysia secured their place at the 16-team World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium this August through the world rankings.
They won two matches, lost three and finished fourth in their group.
Ranked No 15, they edged ahead of Poland,
who finished fourth in the other qualifying event in Chile but sit
lower in the rankings.
“Suppose you are told to qualify and you do it, will you be removed?” he asked.
His answer was direct. “I was made a scapegoat.”
Malaysia
took on England in the World Cup qualifier, where a 7-1 defeat
highlighted the gap with top teams. They went on to crash against Japan
in the last crucial match that impacted their world ranking. (Malaysian
Hockey Confederation pic)
‘Very hurt’, and a warning
Sarjit said the manner and timing of his dismissal, less than five months before the World Cup, made it difficult to accept.
“I did not deserve this,” he said. “Why make a last-minute move and go back on your assurances?
He said he had asked for time to build the team. “I needed two years to build and another two years to get results.”
The experience, he added, left a deep personal impact.
“I am very hurt,” he said. “When they
want you, they tell you all sorts of things. When they don’t need you,
they just chuck you out.”
Sarjit said the issue goes beyond his own case.
“What happened to me should not happen to any coach in any sport,” he said.
He also pointed to the need for stronger leadership within Malaysian hockey.
“We need the right people in sports,
people who know the game, who understand high performance and
development,” he said. “We need administrators with vision.”
He acknowledged that his exit may overshadow his past contributions.
“It is sad some people will remember me
for this instead of my playing days,” said the two-time Olympian, who
represented Malaysia for 12 years and was the national captain for seven
years.
Questions that remain
Sarjit did not directly criticise the leadership of Malaysian hockey but his account raises key questions.
If results were the benchmark, why was World Cup qualification not enough?
If rankings were decisive, why was the decision made before a full post-mortem?
And if process matters, who ultimately decides, and on what basis?
Sarjit says he bears no ill will toward his players.
“I have no problems with the players. I wish them all the best,” he said.
He also thanked all parties — players,
staff, officials, MHC leadership, the national sports council and
national sports institute — for their support during his tenure.
But the sense of unfinished business lingers.
And with the World Cup approaching, Malaysia move forward without the coach who got them there.
