Cloak-and-dagger (27/11/2002 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 27/11/2002
Headline : Cloak-and-dagger

IT is baffling that the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) are not
revealing the names of the contenders for the various posts at their
elections on Dec 14.
OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said he has his reasons for not
revealing the nominations as there is bound to be changes. As such, OCM
need to ask those who have been nominated whether they are really
interested in the post or have been nominated without their consent.
He also said the full list of names can only be released on Nov 30 after
the final day for acceptance of nominations by the candidates.
"The candidates still have two weeks to campaign if they want," he said.
But that is not the point.
The public should be informed of those nominated because being nominated
itself is an honour for the candidates and it reflects confidence in his
ability.
It does not matter whether the candidate chooses to stand for election
or not.
There are some who argue that if the name of the nominee was released
and the person decides to withdraw, it will be embarrassing.
What matters here is the fact that the public and the sports fraternity
especially, need to know who has been nominated.
When nominations closed on Nov 14, OCM president Tunku Imran Tuanku
Ja'afar, Sieh and Datuk Kee Yong Wee were the incumbents returned
unopposed.
However, there were three nominations for the deputy-president's post,
currently held by Tan Sri Khir Johari. Khir has indicated that he will not
seek re-election.
There were 13 nominations, including three women, for the five vice
president posts. There is a provision to reserve one vice president post
for a woman but since there are three nominations, one will fill the
automatic seat with two challenging for the remaining four posts.
The five incumbent vice-presidents are Datuk Khalid Yunus, Datuk M.
Jegathesan, W.Y. Chin, Datuk Syed Mohamed Aidid and Norminshah Sabirin.
All five have been nominated and they will defend their seats.
Incumbent assistant secretaries Mohamed Fadzil Othman and Latifah Ya'cob
will be challenged by two men and one woman.
For the assistant treasurer's post, currently held by S. Jahendran,
there were three nominations.
The talk in the corridors of OCM is that one of the reasons for the
secrecy on nomination is because of attempts by some parties to ask the
nominees not to stand for certain posts.
It is learnt that Fadzil is not seeking re-election as assistant
secretary.
Former NSC director of international preparations and BAM general
manager Phua Tai Neng, and National Association of Archery Malaysia's Mej
(R) Baharuddin Jamil have been nominated for the post.
OCM have already sent out letters to all the nominees asking them for
acceptance and one nominee confirmed that he received his letter
yesterday. Another said there was an added note in the letter asking him
to see an OCM official.
Certainly, there can be more transparency in OCM. All these speculations
will only undermine their credibility.