Negeri Sembilan’s missed World Cup opportunity

Hollywood Treasures curator Wong Jin Zhen is deeply disappointed that bureaucratic red tape has prevented his company from staging a public exhibition of rare football memorabilia.

SEREMBAN: Tucked away in an unassuming building in Seremban 3 is a studio housing one of the world’s most remarkable collections of football memorabilia.

It is home to Hollywood Treasures, where curator Wong Jin Zhen, 32, says he is deeply disappointed that bureaucratic red tape has prevented the collection from being shared with the public, particularly in Negeri Sembilan.

Among its treasures are:

• One of only three surviving casts used to create replicas of the original Jules Rimet Trophy.

• A jersey worn and signed by Pele in the 1981 film Escape to Victory, along with an autographed Brazil jersey.

• Football medals from the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games.

• A medal from the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.

• A match ball from the 1966 World Cup..

• Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory parade jersey, signed by the entire squad and worn during the team’s celebrations.

• Diego Maradona’s match-worn captain’s armband, complete with his signature.

• A jersey signed by both Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

• Jerseys and other football memorabilia from clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

“The owner and I have spent the past two years trying to organise an exhibition because we want to share these football treasures with the people of Seremban and beyond,” said Wong.

“We hosted officials from the Tourism Ministry in March 2024, and they were impressed by the collection. Three months earlier, we had received a letter from the Negeri Sembilan government expressing its interest in establishing a smart partnership.

“We agreed and were looking forward to holding the exhibition, but since then, we have been given the runaround.”

Wong added that in June, he received another letter from the Tourism Ministry stating that it supported the proposal to stage the exhibition as part of Visit Malaysia Year, and even suggested that it be held at both the state and national levels.

Despite the enthusiasm and official backing, the proposal ultimately came to nothing.

“We wanted to take advantage of the World Cup fever by hosting the exhibition this year,” said Wong.

“However, the state government has not responded. Perhaps they are busy with the upcoming elections.

“With the tournament now entering its final stages, the exhibition is unlikely to happen. It is a wasted opportunity to do something for the people.”

Wong said Hollywood Treasures had offered to stage the exhibition free of charge as a gift “to the people”.

“The owner comes from a humble background. He knows what it is like to struggle to put food on the table,” said Wong.

“He knows that not many people can afford to travel overseas to view the memorabilia. That is why he wanted to put it on public display.

“We will see what we can do in future. Maybe we can organise it privately without involving the state government.”

Although unable to stage a large-scale exhibition, Wong said the studio recently collaborated with students from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) to organise a football mini-exhibition.

In January, the studio lent students props and costumes for their Nightmare Run, adding an element of excitement and creativity to the event.

As its name suggests, Hollywood Treasures also houses a vast collection of film memorabilia and autographed scripts signed by some of the biggest stars from the 1970s to the present day.

It also held an art exhibition in Seremban 2 in 2023.

In 2022, it joined the Star Wars Malaysian Fan Club’s ‘Rebel Rising’ event, where its booth proved a major attraction by displaying a copy of The Empire Strikes Back script, complete with a certificate of authenticity.

The script was autographed by the blockbuster’s stars – Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and David Prowse – as well as creator George Lucas.

“We have a wide range of collectables because the owner has many interests. Maybe one day, we can display them to the public.

“It is such a waste that we couldn’t take advantage of this World Cup.”