31/08/2026
MERDEKA, AND THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP
Today, as we celebrate Malaysia’s Independence Day, I find myself thinking about what “Merdeka” really means.
For most of us, it is a day of pride. A day to remember the sacrifices made by those who came before us, and the courage it took to build a nation that could determine its own future.
But Merdeka is also about something else.
It is about having the courage to speak up when something is not right. And that is something that has become very personal for FTAFA.
For so many years, fencing in Malaysia has gone through a dark and difficult period. And more recently, there have been serious questions about governance, transparency, accountability, the treatment of athletes and associations, and the way decisions are made.
FTAFA has raised some of those questions.
We have asked about finances. We have asked about processes. We have asked about disciplinary decisions. We have asked about athlete selection.
We have asked why decisions that affect athletes, coaches, clubs and state associations cannot be made more clearly, more openly and more fairly.
These are not unreasonable questions. In fact, they are exactly the kind of questions that any responsible sports association should be willing to ask.
But asking them has come at a cost.
FTAFA has faced suspension. We have faced expulsion.
We have been criticised, challenged, mocked, harassed and even boycotted by many in the fencing community.
There have been moments when it would have been much easier to keep quiet, accept what was happening and simply move on. To compromise our principles and moral values.
But that is not why we are here.
We are not involved in fencing just to manage competitions or send athletes to events. We are here because we believe in the sport. We believe in the young people who train every day. We believe in the coaches who give their time. We believe in the parents who sacrifice so much financially and personally to support their children.
And because of that, we cannot simply look away when we believe the system can and should be better.
This has never been about attacking individuals. It has never been about trying to bring Malaysian fencing down.
Quite the opposite.
FTAFA has continued to fight because we want Malaysian fencing to grow.
We want a sport where athletes are selected because they deserve to be selected.
We want a sport where clubs, coaches and athletes can give honest opinions without worrying about the consequences.
We want responsible & accountable state associations to be able to raise legitimate concerns without being treated as enemies.
We want financial matters to be clear and transparent.
We want disciplinary processes to be fair.
We want decisions to be based on rules, not personalities, nepotism or cronyism.
We want our young athletes to be protected from bullying and harassment.
Most importantly, we want young fencers to grow up believing that if they work hard enough, perform well enough and behave professionally, they will be given a fair chance.
That should not be too much to ask.
For me, that is where the meaning of Merdeka connects with the situation we are facing today.
Malaysian fencing needs to be free from dark cloud of fear.
People should not be afraid to ask questions.
It needs to be free from favouritism.
Opportunities should be earned through merit.
It needs to be free from secrecy.
Those entrusted with running the sport must be prepared to explain their decisions.
And it needs to be free from a culture of napoleons where disagreement is automatically seen as disloyalty.
Sometimes the people who care the most are the ones who ask the hardest questions.
FTAFA will continue to do that.
We will also continue doing what we have always done — developing athletes, supporting coaches, building grassroots programmes, creating opportunities and helping our fencers compete at the highest level possible.
We will not allow our disagreements with the way Malaysian fencing is governed to stop us from developing the sport.
At the same time, we will not stop asking for better governance.
We will continue to use the proper channels available to us.
Where questions need answers, we will ask them.
Where decisions need to be challenged, we will challenge them professionally.
Where matters need to be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, we will do so.
And where we believe athletes or members of the fencing community are being treated unfairly, we will speak up.
Not because we want a fight.
But because sometimes staying silent is easier than doing what is right.
FTAFA has already been through a great deal.
There may be more difficult days ahead.
That is something we accept.
Because this is bigger than FTAFA.
It is about the 12-year-old fencer who dreams of one day representing Malaysia.
It is about the teenager training six days a week hoping to earn a place in the national team.
It is about the parents spending their savings to send their children overseas for competitions and training.
It is about the coaches who spend years building athletes.
It is about every club and state association that has worked to grow this sport.
All of them deserve a system they can trust.
One day, the current generation of administrators, coaches and officials will no longer be involved in fencing.
What matters is the system we leave behind.
I hope we can leave behind a Malaysian fencing community that is stronger, more open and more professional than the one we inherited.
A sport where nobody needs special connections.
A sport where nobody needs to be afraid of asking questions.
A sport where athletes know where they stand.
A sport where financial and administrative decisions can withstand scrutiny.
A sport where leaders understand that their positions are temporary, but the institution they are entrusted with belongs to future generations.
That is the Malaysian fencing FTAFA wants to see.
And that is why we will continue.
We will continue developing athletes.
We will continue serving our members.
We will continue asking questions.
We will continue pushing for transparency.
And we will continue standing up for what we believe is right.
Not out of anger.
Not out of revenge.
But because we genuinely believe Malaysian fencing can be better.
On this Independence Day, perhaps that is the most appropriate message we can share.
Merdeka is not only about being free.
It is also about having the courage to build something better.
That is what FTAFA intends to keep doing.
For our athletes.
For our fencing community.
For the future of Malaysian fencing.
Selamat Hari Kebangsaan.
Merdeka!!!
Badroel Rizwan Bahar
President
Federal Territory Amateur Fencing Association (FTAFA)
