Monday, January 25, 2010

Facts prove a majority of the NSAs have to buck up

Sports Commissioner Datuk Nik Mahmud Nik Yusof revealed some startling facts at the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Conference on Saturday, that proved that a majority of the National Sports Associations (NSAs) did not have their house in order.

More often than not, the Sports Commissioner's Office comes under criticisms for their high handedness and not being friendly to NSAs.
However, after Datuk Nik spoke on Sunday, it must be pointed out that it has been a misconception of his office.

On the other hand, facts revealed by Datuk Nik, clearly underlined that many NSAs were either inefficient or just treated the Sports Commissioner's Office lightly.

For starters NSAs who are required under the 2nd schedule of the Sports Act to submit their annual returns, many have not been cooperative or failed to do so.

Below are the statistics:
Year         Overall %    NSAs   Affiliates  Complete returns/Not complete
2006           29.67%     44.79%        59%           70%                30%
2007           29%          48.5%          70%            61%               39%
2008           33.65%     81.3%            n/a             n/a                n/a
2009           34.04%     56.7%           44%          60%                40%


All NSAs are required to resubmit their constitutions to the Sports Commissioner's Office.
Below are the statistics of those who have complied.


Of the 34 NSAs under OCM only 5 or 14.7% have submitted their new Constitution following the guidelines set by the Commissioner's Office
This means that 29 NSAs or 85.3% have not submitted their Constitutions to the Commissioner's Office.


Datuk Nik Yusof in his address on Sunday had underlined that the Constitution is nerve or heart of any organisation.
"The mission, objectives, mechanism, rules, do and don'ts are listed in the Constitution," said Nik Yusof.
"It is the lack or non existence of all these guidelines in the respective Constitution of the NSAs that is the main course of conflicts in NSAs," he added.


Nik Yusof then revealed the number of officer bearers in NSAs and their affiliates.
The figure is as below:
              Male        Female           Total

NSAs    1,454          185                 1,639
State     7,356         1007                8,362

Nik Yusof went on to say that besides OCM who conduct training, workshops and seminars for sports management, the Sports Commissioner's Office too have their own programmes.

Below Nik Yusof listed out the number of sports personnel who have attended their programmes.
2006      2007        2008     2009     Total 

691        1075       862        743      3,371


Nik Yusof said that less than 3% of the total officer bearers have attended their courses annually.
That only means that sports officials are really not interested to be equipped with the tools and knowledge to administer professionally.

Finally, Nuk Yusof said that it is not that the Sports Commissioner's Office have taken over disputes of NSAs.
"All NSAs have their own arbitrary procedures and only when this process is exhausted that they can come to the Sports Commissioner's Office. However, we have had a few cases who come to us directly and after our investigations that cases cannot be resolved, we try to help," said Nik Yusof.
"However, from immediate effect, we will not handle any more disputes unless directed by the Sports Minister," revealed Nik Yusof.
This is the breakdown of  cases which have come to the Sports Commisioner's Office:


                          2006           2007           2007         2008
No of appeals    15                15               9                7

National             n/a                8                5                2

State                  n/a                6                4                 5


With the statistics revealed, everything points that a majority of NSAs are not properly managed and it is little surprise that we have some many nitty-gritty problems still surfacing up after so many years of NSAs being in existence.
It is also little wonder that we are not realising the true potential of our athletes, because the majority of the NSAs themselves are not properly managed, with many having personality clashes quarrels among themselves.
There is so much infighting in NSAs that they have forgot that they are there in the Associations to serve the athletes and not to promote or make gains for themselves.
When there several NSAs who managing their associations managing well and professionally, one wonders, why the rest cannot follow suit.
Above all, it is the NSAs who are governed well with hands-on, knowledgeable and innovative leaders, that keeps on producing the results in their respective sporting arena.
There is millions of ringgit being pumped into sports from the government and sponsors, the returns in achievement does not quantify and justify the amount.
While athletes should also be taken to task for their lackadaisical attitude despite being given the best, NSAs first should get their house in order, so that they gain the respect of the athletes.

It is still early in 2010. Let us all who love sports and want to keep it pure, stand up and be counted to make a difference this year.

10 comments:

Admin said...

Shocking isn’t it? What can one expect when many of the NSA officials are there with personal agendas and for personal gains?

Preaching fairness to all but in actual fact they practice favoritism. Dedicated athletes with high potential but having parents with principles are left in the sidelines. Some even gave up the sport completely.

These are some of the true picture being painted in Malaysian sport future.

I recommend that the names of all the NSAs which flout the requirements set by the National Sport Commission, be made public, so that these NSA cannot gloat about themselves.

Anonymous said...

Dear Admin,

I fully agree that those NSA who flout the rules and regulations or does not buck up be made public. Before you jump and put all the names up, I feel the SC should give them a time line to comply. This is to allow new sports body being registered be given an opportunity to learn the ropes. Those old Sports Body that has been slagging are also given the opportunity to pull up their socks.
What Dato Nik said is 100% true, however Dato Nik has not being open about another body. The OCM; OCM is also another sports body under the Sorts Development Act. The impression given is that OCM is beyond reproached, why because it is run by a Tunku as President and an aging Sec Gen that is know as " The Emperor".
Admin, many of the troubles you see today, I say are caused by OCM themselves. Some one mentioned about Taekwando on your Blog. Look at it objectively, if OCM had not interfered in Taekwando, the matter would have been solve in the Natural process of things. Now if OCM undertake to form an ad hoc committee, they must have the will and apparatus to solve their problems. When they could not , it is accusing the NSA of being selfish and having vested interest. Is that fair to the NSA? If you have no powers to censure and no will to carry out a mediation why have this mediation in the first place?
It is through this platform, the cyber world that the rot in OCM can be revealed and by Jove, the rot stinks.
There is no need, in my opinion, to form this committee or that committee to solve NSA disputes. Look at the Sports Development Act, there are adequate provisions in the Act to deal with the problems. The whole problem lies with enforcement, OCM by forming the ad hoc committee is trying to mediate the problem. Question is are OCM the best body to mediate matters? My answer to it is , with the present set up NO! There are too many cases of favoritism, bias and prejudice that has been documented against OCM that makes them unqualified. Maybe a better approached is to ask who runs OCM? You would say it is the Board, but the truth of the matter is the SEC Gen Dato Sieh Kok Chi is the de facto power in OCM, he decides on everything even who goes to the Games. You think the NSA decides, think again, he decide and no one dare to question him.
Admin, why not invite your readers to have an open discussion and ask them to tell them their problems. Have an open discussion and invite the Emperor to reply.
Many dare not go to the Press and hide under anonimity because if the Emperor knows who said this, their sports is finished.

Zainal Hashim said...

OOoooooppppsssss! I need to this first.

Tony, I am so sorry that my comment was posted as Admin. I was commenting your posting from my blog, and I clicked submit without realising it.

To Annonymous, sorry for misleading you, thinking that I was the Admin of this Blog. No I am not and I am in no league to Administer Tony's Blog. He is miles ahead ofme in this field.I adminster a Blog http//ybins.blogspot.com which is a Blog regarding Youth Bowlers in Selangor.

As for your comment, I do agree with you in some way, but then again,I do not agree in giving the NSA the opportuntiy to pull up their socks. Their socks should have been pulled up long ago, since there is an Act.

I think it is time for new faces to run the show. New faces with real passion and committment and most of all new faces who do not have any personal agendas, except the sincerity to promote, develope and boost Malaysian sport

Anonymous said...

Zainal Hashim, No harm done the point has been made. It is healthy always to agree to disagree and I respect that. Let me rehash why you need to give them a time line.
There are new sports body and there are old ones.
To the old bodies that are formed under the Societies Act , the manner you present your accounts for instance and the manner you present it under the SDA is very different.
When you get your certificate of registration, the SC will give you a garisan panduan.You have to really study it to comply with it. It is not difficult but it is getting used to it. SC are kind and they will politely tell you you have got it all wrong and to redo it acfcpordinmg to the format.
New sports body are no different , they also need guidance. But after all the help and concessions they still refuses to comply, then the chops must come in.
The impression one get is that we are bashing OCM, no one wants to pick a fight with OCM. Look they are the all powerful body that can funde your athletes to the Games or you pay yourself. Remember Category A and B athletes. The dead wood and the one with medal prospect. I think all this is good. I take issue on the the arbitraryness of the SEC Gen is not only breaching its own constitution but also the SDA with such impunity. Complaints were made but no action taken.
Okay on Taekwando again, OCM with this ad hoc committee tried to form a uniting body to incorporate all the bodies. What hair brain idea is that you have these warring factions and they think these chaps can sit together like decent human beings and have nasi lemak and kueh mueh and say all is fine.
My point is this there is the SDA there are provision in SDA to sdolve such matters, just use the provision and pass it to the Sports Advisory Panel to deal with it.
Being nice is a virtue but OCM must not take sides, and you know this is not the case.

Anonymous said...

How come NST, Sun and Berita Harian never cover this???? Shocking state of affairs. Semuanya OK!

Anonymous said...

Ha! Anonymous 11.37pm, you are now stirring the hornets nest by questioning why the main stream papers are not reporting this. Look many of the Bloggers in cyber world are cautious in touching OCM.
Okay you want to cover Asian Games in 2010, as a Pressman what do you do? You get your papers to apply for accreditation card from OCM correct?
Now if you are critical of OCM you think the Old Emperor of OCM will issue you the accreditation card? You think that as Press , you get your card as a matter of right. No way, you name your Press team and bring those nice passport pictures to OCM and the Grand Old Emperor must sign on it and when you reach Guangzhou, you collect your pass.
Now you see how you Press chaps are being muzzle, most sports Editor only knows too well to rile up OCM especially the Grand Old Man.
Sports Editor can takes swipes at many bodies but have you seen them taking swipes at OCM?
Why, because OCM are perfect? What I want to highlight and that is my point, is OCM are not without faults. As a matter of fact I dare say they carry the main burden and they act that all around them are silly sods who does not know how to run the NSA. I concede many do not know how to run the NSA but are they totally to be blamed?
Look at the Objectives , Roles and Program of OCM, you tell me whether OCM have any business telling the NSA who can or cannot go to the Games. They are suppose to provide services, advice and assistance to NSA. Are they doing that? They are telling the NSA you tow the line and do what I tell you.
OCM uses the carrot and stick to train the NSA, they fund you and they tell you what to do.
Think about it a bit, apart from the Sports Development Program that OCM organises here and there OCM is nothing but a glorified secretariat to send athletes to the Games.
I say this, if you are category B and is classified as such, allow the NSA to send a team to the Games with NO OCM interference. We pay our own to go why should you tell us who should go?
If OCM just stick to their role all will be fine and well.Currently OCM have lost their plot altogether

Zainal Hashim said...

Morning Anonymous,sometimes I think being anonymous is not good. Just like sending "surat layang" only. You must have a very nice name, and should be proud of it. LoL

Anonymous said...

Zainal hashim, I have to concede that talking under an anonymous identity is not at all sportsman like and not far. By reading my mail, you should come to the conclusion that I am close to OCM and know their internal operations.
I have to live and fire like a sniper because if my identity is known, my sport will be finished. Yes we are depended on that little money that we get from OCM.
Before you condemn my mail to Junk or surat layang, lets look at issues. Are the issues raised by Taekwando not true? Lets ask ourselves about the timing of dishing out money to the NSA just before the OCM elections last year? Is itnot true about some past people who attend OCM annual dinner are being left out? Is it not true that OCM is run by the Sec Gen and the Board have nothing to say about Sports policy in OCM.
Much ahs been said about breaching the Sports Development Act by OCM, are they above the law.
Zainal Hashim, everyone knows that going to the Games depends on the SEC Gen whims and facies.
I say judge me not by my anonimity but by the issues raised. It is not that I do not love OCM or that Grand Old Man, someone have to come out to tell that old man to step down. No one in OCM dares to do that. We are not strong people , the only way to guard the guards is to bring our grienences to the Cyber world.
I rest my case.

Zainal Hashim said...

Anonymous, please do not take that to heart. Reading your comments had already revealed to me that you hold some important position in some Sport Association.

However, I sense that you have that sincerity and honesty inside you, that not a many sports official carries within them. You also have the guts and you had them spilled out here. Thank you!

Me?? I am a nobody. I am just a father who wants to see our young children excels not only in studies but also in sport.I am no sourgrapes either, but would justice and the truth to prevail.

Looks forward to reading more of your comments and/or suggestions.

Anonymous said...

Zainal Hashim, I thank you for understanding our predicament and I truly apologise that I have to air our sport grievances in a faceless manner.
I want you to know that this problems of OCM has been highlighted personally to all and even to the Minister himself. The answer I get typifies the Malaysian polite ways " Dia tu orang tua , ada kali nyanuyk sedikit, tak apa la".
I want to thank Tony for giving us this forum to speak our mind.
Thank you , Sir,