As a start....

Welcome! With so many blogs within the Malaysian Chess Community, the idea of having another blog should be the last one on anybody's mind but somehow, I can't help myself but to join the fray. For one, this is my way of contributing to the chess community - with ideas that I have, some of which has gone back as far as 20 years ago but never materialized. Secondly, its fun because I love writing. And thirdly, with the buzzing and bustling Malaysian Chess blog community out there, one can't help but to provide another point of view. Being a chess organizer and Arbiter, I can probably see things from a totally different angle.

I remembered what one chess player from a neighboring country once told me - "I respect the organizers because without them, there is no chess events and without the events, chess players can't play and compete, can't get ratings and can't get title". Well, those were not his exact words but it went something like that. Not that organizers need to be worshiped because if we look at the entire cycle, everyone contributes i.e. the chess players, the organizers, the officials, the sponsors, the parents, the teachers, and the list goes on and on. Even the critics and the unsatisfied complainants contribute because without their "opposite views", we will never be able to look at the issues, concerns and/or difficulties from a different perspective. And of course, after due consultation and numerous arguments (some can go on and on forever and ever due to misinformation, misguided directions or just pure stubbornness), some of these ideas, concerns and issues can be categorized as irrelevant and unpractical, at least for the time being until a better situation requires the issue to be looked again and reevaluated.

Some things need time to mature and fit in, whilst some can be adjusted almost overnight. The questions are, which one is which? Just because someone yells about something, that does not mean it needs to be fixed. Then again, just because it is not broken, there is no need to fix it. Changes are essentials but, the "the 4 Wives and 1 Husband" needs be answered - the When, Why, Where, Who and the How. Timing is crucial and change management is critical because it needs the support and effort from a huge community that has different background, belief and goals, including a fragmented governing body that is criticized for every little things that is happening.

This is not an effort to prove people right or wrong, to support certain fraction or to discredit another - these are just ideas and opinions for improvement. If you like it, help to make it a reality... If you like it but think it can be improved, help to share.... If you don't like it, help me to understand.... But otherwise, have a good read...