National hockey coaches A. Arul Selvaraj, Mohd Amin Rahim and Wallace Tan have been in self-isolation since yesterday after being in contact with a person under investigation (PUI).
The suspect, a dietician from the National Sports Institute (NSI), underwent a swab test for Covid-19 after his housemate tested positive. The dietician’s test was negative.
Following the result, Arul, Amin and Tan will end their three-day self-isolation tomorrow.
“We had meetings with the dietician last week. When it was discovered his housemate had Covid-19, we were asked to self-isolate pending his test result,” said Arul, who returned as national coach in August.
“If his test was positive, then the three of us (Amin and Wallace) would also have to undergo swab tests while being quarantined.
“Thankfully, we are now free to leave self-isolation. I heard the dietician will undergo another swab test.”
Arul said they were classified as tier-three as they were in contact with a PUI, who is the second-tier.
“The self-isolation was just a precaution,” said Arul, who underwent a 14-day quarantine period in August when he returned from Ireland to take up his post.
Arul said Amin, who is his assistant, and Tan who is the national junior coach, would follow strict standard operating procedures when they return to training tomorrow.
Separately, Arul said he will trim his training squad from 37 players to 25 by the end of the month.
“We selected a big group as we needed to play warm-up matches among ourselves,” said Arul.
“I also wanted to give some of those another chance to shine after the Razak Cup tournament (which ended last month).”
Arul has been tasked with winning the 2022 Asian Games gold medal which would ensure qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He is also tasked with earning a spot in the 2023 World Cup.
Here’s the round-up of The News Normal today.
NEVERENDING WATER CUTS IN SELANGOR
Air Selangor announced another round of water cuts after another suspected contamination in Sungai Selangor.
This will affect more than 1.1 million households and offices in the state. On Saturday, Selangor endured another water cut caused by a burst pipe.
The Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye spoke out against another water cut.
“This is unbelievable. This is unacceptable. This is scandalous. It would seem that all the advice, exhortations and appeals made after the earlier disruption was water off a duck’s back,” he said in a statement.
THREE PERAK SCHOOLS CLOSE AFTER STUDENTS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
There is no stopping Covid-19 as three schools in Perak were ordered closed for a week after several students tested positive for Covid-19.
State Education, Human Capital Development, NGO and Civil Society Committee chairman Razman Zakaria told a press conference he was informed of the positive Covid-19 cases among students on Friday.
THE TRUTH ALWAYS HURTS
Badminton legend, the late Eddy Choong, never feared speaking his mind for the good of the sport.
He was right to say that people fear listening to differing views. That is the absolute truth – whether in sports or politics or even in your daily conversations with family and friends.
