DILENJIT SINGHdilen@sph.com.sg

IN THEIR heydays of the late ’60s and early’70s, St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) were aschools footballing force, even producing

1980 Malaysia Cup winner Leong Kok Fann.But by 2000, the sport was in the doldrums

and dropped from the school’s list of Co-cur-ricular activities (CCAs) due to declining inter-est and resource constraints.

After a 13-year hiatus, schools football isset to return to SJI in 2013.

The school’s head of Physical Education(PE) and CCAs, Mohamed Tahir, told TheNew Paper: “It’s been in the pipeline sincelast year.

“We’ve been keeping football alivethrough internal tournaments, in PE and withthe Ortega Cup (a yearly match against Raf-fles Institution).

“But now we feel we’re ready to bring itback (at inter-school level). We’re seriousabout putting in the resources and we’ve gotthe backing of the community to ensure foot-ball’s back to stay and not disappear after acouple of years.

“The Ortega Cup just confirmed our beliefthat we have a good group of boys that can betrained and groomed into a good team whichcan represent the school.”

The return of the Beautiful Game to SJIwas well received by the most celebrated play-er to pull on their jersey, former Lion Leong.

He said: “It’s heartwarming news. I trulybelieve football can help the boys developinto men of integrity and men for others (theschool’s mission).

“I also think it’s very important to thetradition and history of the school. In theearly years, football was a very strong vehicleof bonding. It defined the school and how itcould balance curriculum and an all-roundeducation.”

The school’s current students were alsocelebrating the decision.

Leon Sim, 13, said that since the newsbroke, more students were playing football inthe school compound and beyond.

Lee Sheng Jay, 15, added: “I wish it wasintroduced earlier, but I’m proud that I mightget the chance to represent my school infootball.

“Some of my friends who used to be fromSJI are a bit envious because they didn’t havethe chance during their time.”

With SJI now aiming to return to theschools football scene, Tahir also sees bene-fits for the school’s allure to prospective stu-dents.

He noted: “I’m very certain that boyschose schools for their CCAs and certain boysdon’t chose SJI because of (the absence of a)football (team).

“Hopefully, now boys from our affiliateschools and beyond will open their eyes andlook towards SJI.

“We are actually starting Direct School Ad-missions (DSA) trials for football nextmonth.”

ReservationHowever, the resurrection hasn’t been

easy. Tahir admitted that initially he encoun-tered reservation from other CCAs.

“There was apprehension from otherCCAs that it would deprive them of talented,athletic boys,” he noted.

“Because of how popular football is, therewas the worry that it could be a strain onthem.

“But we are casting our net wide and thetalent pool is large enough for all the CCAs tosurvive with proper management.”

So how is the PE and CCA head of depart-ment planning to deal with the expectedthrong of boys pleading to change their CCAsto football?

“We have to take in on a case-by-casebasis but generally, it’s going to be a no. Wehave to be careful not to create a negativeripple.

“But it’s just going to be a temporary prob-lem for the first year. After that, it should besmooth sailing.”

GAME 4DALLASMAVERICKSvMIAMIHEAT(Today, 8.50am, StarHub TV Ch 202,SuperSports)

WHILE LeBron James is quietly goingabout his business shutting downtop Dallas scorers in the NBA Finals,

Dwyane Wade is doing just fine running Mi-ami’s offence down the stretch.

The Heat are having no misgivings aboutputting the ball in Wade’s hands in thebest-of-seven championship series for key de-cision-making in the fourth quarter.

“He’s the guy who can set the tone of whatour franchise stands for as a first-class cham-pionship organisation,” Miami coach ErikSpoelstra said at Monday’s practice.

But that hasn’t always been the case in theNBA Finals for Wade, who took criticism fiveyears ago from his coach, current Heat presi-dent Pat Riley, for handling the ball too muchand not getting his teammates involved.

“I’ve been here before,” said Wade, theMost Valuable Player of the 2006 NBA Finals.“I’ve experienced a very weird, tough seriesbefore to win the championship.

“It’s my time to step up. It’s me feeling themoment and understanding this is it. Wehave eight days left in this entire season andyou don’t want to leave nothing to chance.”

Miami’s Game 3 victory on Sunday (Mon-day morning, Singapore time) injected newlife into their championship drive.

Wade scored seven of Miami’s last ninepoints and Chris Bosh hit the tie-breakingbaseline jumper as Miami defeated Dallas88-86 to take a 2-1 series lead.

Wade finished with a team-high 29 pointsand 11 rebounds while Bosh, who struggled

in the first two games of the series, scoredseven of 18 points in the fourth.

Bosh’s decisive 16-foot jump shot camewith only 39.6 seconds left on the clock.

Wade didn’t always have the green light toscore at will like he does now with the Heat.

In the 2006 NBA Finals against Dallas, Mi-ami fell behind 2-0 in the series and Riley saidat the time that when Wade handles the ball50 times or more in a game, the Heat usuallylose.

But that was before Game 3, when Wadehad 42 points and 13 rebounds. It also servedas his coming-out party. After dropping thefirst two, the Heat won four in a row to takethe series.

“Sometimes, the same things you are do-ing in one game or one series might go, and inanother series it might not,” Wade duringMonday’s practice. “So I just always try to stayupbeat, always stay positive and it can turn.”

Even fellow superstar James is yielding toWade in this series. James had 17 points andnine assists on Sunday, with many of hispasses heading in Wade’s direction.

“At the end of the day, we always just saywhoever has it going, we kind of just go to,”James said.

“D-Wade had it going last night. I have hadit going at points in this post-season wherethey’ve come to me and I’ve been able toclose for our team.

“It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day,it’s the win. (Doesn’t matter) if it’s D-Wademaking a crucial basket or me making a cru-cial basket.

“Not only did Chris Bosh make thegame-winning shot, but D-Wade had a hock-ey assist. That’s what it’s about.

Making headlines“This is a team game. I know I get a lot of

the headlines, bad headlines. D-Wade gets alot of the great headlines. CB gets a few head-lines. It’s not just about me.”

Miami outscored the Mavericks 40-22 inthe paint as they were able to regain ahome-court advantage after losing Game 2 inMiami. Game 4 is in Dallas.

The Heat also squandered leads of 14, 13and 12 points at various times in the contest.But their defence held strong unlike gametwo when they blew a 15-point lead down thestretch.

Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki finished with a

game-high 34 points and kept the Maverickswithin striking distance as he bagged theirfinal 12 points.

Just like Game 2, the lanky forward had theball in his hands with the game on the line butthis time, his shot clanked off the rim as thebuzzer sounded.

Nowitzki said the Heat defence has beenstifling all series.

“They’re so long and athletic on the perim-eter that they’re able to swarm me and mypost-ups,” Nowitzki said. “When we swingthey’re still athletic and quick enough to getto our shooters on the weak side and runthem off, or at least contest them.”

The Heat now have history on their side.Winners of Game 3 have gone on to capturethe NBA title all 11 times after a split in thefirst two games.

Spoelstra said the significance of theNBA’s championship series is not being loston his players.

“It’s what every player dreams about,” hesaid. “It’s what all of them, 25 years from nowwhen they rest their heads on the pillow, theywill remember these moments and wish theycould do anything to come back to this time.”– AFP.

Sports

Beautiful Game isset to return to theschool in 2013 aftera 13-year hiatus

NBA Finals

Finally,Wade’scomingofage

GETTING THEIR KICKS: SJI players’ (above) only taste of competitive football istaking part in the Ortega Cup, a yearly match against Raffles Institution. The Ortega Cupteam are coached by Ebrahim Adam (below, in yellow) and Henry Sng (in green).

TNP PICTURES: JONATHAN CHOO

WADE MAKESTHE GRADE:Miami Heat’sDwyane Wade(right) scored sevenof Miami’s last ninepoints as Miamidefeated Dallas88-86 to take a 2-1series lead onSunday.

PICTURE: REUTERS

SJIscoresinbringingfootballback

“I’m proud that I might get the chance to representmy school in football. Some of my friends who usedto be from SJI are a bit envious because they didn’thave the chance during their time.”

– Lee Sheng Jay, 15, SJI student

50 Wednesday, June 8 2011 THE NEW PAPER THE NEW PAPER Wednesday, June 8 2011 51

HIS wife wants him back, but it looks like Marcus Chinmay not want to return.

In a Shin Min Daily News article dated May 11, it wasclear that Chin and his girlfriend Eileen Cheah are stillvery much in love with each other.

The report said Chin was filming local movie TheWedding Diary in Penang last month when he met witha nasty accident.

The bridge he was on broke and he fell into the riverbelow. It wasn’t stated how high the bridge was.

Chin said: “When I was in the river, I grabbedwhatever I saw...Unfortunately, it was a bee hive.

“The bees...stung me and I was left with two bigpunctures on my arm.”

He was immediately sent to the hospital fortreatment.

That night, Miss Cheah heard of the accident fromher home in Johor Baru and was frantic.

She said: “I was very worried and couldn’t sleep theentire night. When dawn broke, I left our daughter withthe nanny and took a flight out to Penang.”

As it was Mother’s Day, Chin bought a small cakeand celebrated the occasion with Miss Cheah.

WANTVIDEO?

REPORT: KWOK KAR PENG and MARIE LIMtnp@sph.com.sg

SHE is willing to take him back, if he returns to winher heart.This is even though Madam Murong Ying and

actor-radio DJ Marcus Chin have been separated formore than two years.

And despite the fact that Chin had cheated on herand even had a lovechild with his 25-year-old girlfriend.

It also doesn’t matter to the 55-year-old housewifethat Chin had, in their fight over maintenance money,said untruths about her.

In an interview with the media yesterday afternoon,Madam Murong said: “If he wants to pursue and winme back, I am willing to be his wife again, because I amvery serious about my marriage.

“I feel very helpless... Maybe he’s under pressurefrom the other side.”

Although the couple have separated, they have yetto proceed with their divorce.

Yesterday, Madam Murong was at the Family CourtRoom 5, where District Judge Brenda Tan passed theverdict on her maintenance case.

Chin must now pay her $4,000 a month, startingfrom July 1. The amount is $400 more than what he hadbeen paying her, but $1,000 less than what she hadasked for in court. He must also fork out $7,000 for herlegal fees. (See report on facing page.)

Chin, 57, was not present in court. His lawyer saidthere had been a miscommunication, and he was toldhe did not have to turn up. The judge accepted thereason.

Broken promisesThe couple separated in October 2008, and Chin

wrote a letter where, among other things, he promisedto give Madam Murong $5,000 a month.

He paid her that sum for eight months. But forseveral months after that, he unilaterally reduced theamount to $1,000.

He later offered to pay her $1,500 and an additional$600 a month for the HDB loan instalment.

In November 2009, the court ordered Chin to giveMadam Murong $3,000 a month and another $600 forthe HDB loan instalment.

She then asked for the sum to be increased to $5,000as he had promised in the letter.

Since court proceedings began last October, the twohave been slinging mud at each other.

Chin told the court that Madam Murong was veryfierce towards him during their 23-year marriage andhad made his elderly mother stand outside their flat foran hour.

In return, Madam Murong’s lawyer told the courtabout Chin’s “splurges” and purchases of “items ofluxury” on himself, his girlfriend Eileen Cheah and theirdaughter.

Yesterday afternoon, The New Paper contactedChin’s manager, who turned down our request to inter-view Chin.

In contrast, Madam Murong took questions fromreporters for about 20 minutes outside the courthouse.

She declined to say if she was satisfied with theoutcome, and said only that she respects the verdict.

But she said the money might not be enough.“For a 55-year-old person, there are health issues

that you will not be able to predict. Presently, my healthcondition isn’t so good. I am a little worried aboutpaying the medical fees,” she said.

“My standard of living has also dropped substantial-ly. Now I cannot eat at restaurants, and I have moreconstraints on my dressing and holidays.”

Many times during the interview, she continued torefer to Chin as “my husband”.

Although Chin moved out of their matrimonialhome more than two years ago, Madam Murong saidhe has not taken his clothes and belongings with him.

She added that she has very fond memories of theirtimes together, but is unhappy with some of his claimsin court, like about the incident with his mother.

When asked to comment about Miss Cheah, Mad-am Murong said calmly: “I hope she can take good careof him. His health isn’t good and his job is tough.”

Living alone here without any relatives or friends torely on is taking a toll on her, she revealed.

Madam Murong moved from Taiwan to Singaporeafter she married Chin. She is now a Singapore citizen.

She said she is frequently stressed and has moodswings. Her friends have also left her for Chin, she said.

“All my friends are artistes and they are also hisfriends. After this incident, I don’t have a single friendleft because they chose to be with him.

“He has more social value. It’s natural that thesefriends are selective...It’s not because they don’t careabout me,” she said.

SJI scores in bringingfootball back (The NewPaper, June 8):We reported that St Joseph’sInstitution would be reinstatingfootball as a CCA in 2013.It should be next year.

TNP PICTURES: GARY GOH

OPEN TO RECONCILIATION: MadamMurong Ying (below and right) revealed that she stillhas feelings for her estranged husband Marcus Chin.

Actor-radio DJ MarcusChin ordered to paywife $4,000 a month

IN PASSING her verdict, District Judge Brenda Tan saidthat there are strong reasons to believe that Chin(above) earned more than the $9,000 a month he saidhe earns, and that he is capable of paying more than thesum of $2,100 he had offered.

The judge nevertheless noted that there have beenrecent changes in his personal circumstances.

She said that while Chin is responsible towardsMadam Murong, he is also responsible for the newfamily he recently started with his girlfriend EileenCheah. They have a daughter who will turn one soon.

The judge also noted that Chin had said that hisincome was adversely affected by the economy and thenegative publicity he suffered after his relationship with

Miss Cheah was reported in the media. But he gaveneither details nor evidence of how the revelations haveaffected his income.

She added that although Chin said he haddifficulties, he stopped doing getai performancesduring the Seventh Lunar Month.

This was despite his previous claims that his takingsduring that month is equivalent to six months of hisannual income.

The reduction of his income was hence“self-induced”, the judge said.

She added that Chin also has sources of funds whichhe didn’t explain sufficiently, and his lifestyle andexpense pattern were inconsistent with his claims.

PAY MORE?

Judge: He can pay more but...

News

1. Turn on 3G2. Download QRcode reader tosmartphone3. Scan QR code

SORRY

PAY UP

Chin & girlfriend deeply in love

FIGHT OVER MAINTENANCE MONEY

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Feel good because all proceeds go to charity

When: Tomorrow (7-9pm)Where: Food Republic Beer Garden* atSt James Power Station

Feast on dragon beard candy prepared by Mr George Quek, founder and chairman of theBreadTalk Group

*Open Sun to Thurs 6pm to 5am, Fri, Sat and eve of PH 6pm to 6am.

thenewpaper

THE NEW PAPER, JAN 18

SWEET:Marcus Chinwith girlfriendEileen Cheahafter hismishap inPenang lastmonth.PICTURE COURTESY

OF MARCUS CHIN

2 Thursday, June 9 2011 THE NEW PAPER THE NEW PAPER Thursday, June 9 2011 3