KUALA LUMPUR: National road cycling team coach Yusof Nasir is confident that newly elected Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill can help the national team begin a new chapter.
The road squad have struggled in recent seasons due to a lack of funding which has directly impacted their ability to prepare for key competitions such as the recently concluded Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL).
Yusof said he hopes that there will be enough funding to allow the team to train year-round in the future.
In recent years, the national team has only trained for a number of months in the lead up to LTdL due to limited resources.
"InsyaAllah, I feel that under Amarjit's leadership he will be able to bring change and help us turn a new page," said Yusof when contacted today.
"I hope that he can make changes now that he is in charge because the national team's situation has been roughly the same over the past four or five years.
"Personally, I hope that we can have a programme where 10 riders can train year-round so that we are always prepared to go for races, instead of only assembling a squad just before competitions.
"Place these 10 riders under MNCF and give them allowances so they can focus on training full-time. If a full year costs too much then at least make it six months.
"Anything less than that is too short for us to really prepare the riders for a tough competition."
Amarjit was elected as the new MNCF president on Saturday, replacing the late Datuk Abu Samah Wahab who passed away last year.
His election has boosted morale in the cycling fraternity as he has strong connections in the cycling world - he is a UCI management committee member and Asean Cycling Federation secretary-general - and also has good relationships with the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as other relevant sporting bodies in Malaysia.
Amarjit on Saturday said he is looking to meet with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to discuss possible funding for the national road team.
Yusof was only able to bring together seven riders for the recent LTdL.
The squad, which used bikes the riders bought themselves, were also forced to seek donations to buy equipment such as chains, tyres and tubes.
Yusof, however, said he was grateful to the National Sports Council (NSC) for contributing RM50,000 to help cover some of their expenses to prepare for LTdL this year.
"Although we are hoping for more support from the Youth and Sports Ministry, it does not mean we are not grateful for the support that NSC have given us," said Yusof.
"Besides the RM50,000, they also loaned us some of their mechanics for the race. I have friends in the NSC and they try their best to help out with anything they can."
While RM50,000 may sound like a lot, it pales in comparison to annual budgets of UCI continental sides in Malaysia which spend anywhere between RM1.5 million and RM4 million each year to maintain their squads.
Yusof himself is a volunteer in the national team and is not paid by MNCF. He is a full-time employee of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
"MBPJ has given me the flexibility to train the national team which means a lot to me. We all love the sport and want to see the riders flourish," said Yusof.