Megat Zulkarnain is new PESAKA chief

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11  -- Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin has been elected president of the Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA), thus becoming the first 'true-blue silat man’ to hold the top post in the governing body.

The 52-year-old former secretary-general of PESAKA was unanimously elected by the 20 affiliates at today's annual general meeting.

Datuk Md Sohaimi Mohamed Shah retained his deputy president's post while the three vice-president's slots were won by Datuk Mohd Arpan Shari, Mohd Ariff Mat Hanafiah and Datuk Adiwijaya Abdullah and Bibi Aishah Golbal Shah was elected as secretary-general.

"After this I have a lot of responsibilities. There are lots of matters to be discussed to drive PESAKA to greater heights. For me, I have a huge task as PESAKA president. This year there will be the World Silat Championships (in Sarawak) three days after the SEA Games end in Vietnam.

"Not easy to manage the silat squad to the SEA Games with big targets, then come back from Hanoi and head straight to the world meet,” he told a media conference after the AGM.

Megat Zulkarnain replaces Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, who decided to step down after being appointed as the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka.

The AGM was supposed to be held last September but had to be postponed following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Megat Zulkarnain said that one of his missions would be to focus on the construction of the National Silat Complex, which had been approved by the previous government.

"Another one is to hold talks with international associations to ensure that silat becomes a demonstration sport at the 2028 Olympics,” he added.

Megat Zulkarnain, who had held the secretary-general post since his 30s, is the son of the late seni silat lincah Malaysia founder Tan Sri Omardin Mauju.

-- BERNAMA