Silat World Champion and Sportsman of Year Award

2012 Silat world champion Muhd Shakir Juanda was one of four nominated for the Sportsman of the Year Award, along with paddler Gao Ning, sailor Colin Cheng and wushu exponent Seet Wee Key.

The Singapore Sports Award (SSA) Committee decided not to award the Sportsman of the Year Award.  While explaining the decision not to award a Sportsman of the Year to various media, SSA Chairperson Ms Jessie Phua was reported to have said that the panel had to “consider the quality of the competition” faced by the athletes.

While explaining the decision not to award a Sportsman of the Year to various media, Phua said the panel had to “consider the quality of the competition” faced by the athletes.

This petition calls upon the SSA to reconsider the non-award of the Sportsman of the Year.

Being a World Champion of Silat is no small feat.  Shakir has achieved the highest level of competition for the sport globally.

To award Muhd Shakir Juanda a meritorious award is to ignore the personal sacrifices, commitment and sporting excellence of Shakir at the highest level of competition.  The suggestion that the quality of competition for Silat is sub-par ignores the personal sacrifices of Shakir, and is demeaning.

Link to Yahoo Report:  http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/fit-to-post-sports/singapore-silat-chief-want-apology-demoralising-remark-031350035.html