The National Sports Council (NSC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have come in the open to say funds have been cut and thus, national sports associations' subsidies for development and programmes have also been cut this year.
But the Sports Ministry has RM500,000 to pay as fine, as the Stadium Board, which manages the National Stadium and the contractor have agreed to postpone the laying of a new track, originally scheduled to ongoing now and ready in August.
But now the National Stadium Board will open its doors for Malaysia's World Cup and qualifying matches in June and July and also for the Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool also scheduled for July.
FA of Malaysia secretary-general, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad has come to say that the fine is an internal matter between the the Stadium Board and the contractor and that the Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, will make an official announcement on the matter soon. (see today's NST report below).
Azzudin has also said that FAM will not absorb the cost.
For the life of me, I cannot understand how this mess came about.
It is reliably learnt that any form of compensation to the contractor for postponing in laying the tracks only amounts to RM60,000. But the Stadium Board as come up with a figure of RM500,000.
Is the Stadium Board trying to make some fast bucks?
But if the Sports Ministry is going to absorb the fine, it will only be money exchanging from the right hand to the left hand and is an internal transfer.
But my question is how did this mess come about? Was there no communication between FA of Malaysia and the Stadium Board on upcoming matches that that FA of Malaysia wanted to use the National Stadium.
As in the case of the matches involving EPL teams which is brought by a private event company, was there any booking made and by whom - FA of Malaysia or the event company?
Was there any deposit paid for the booking for the National Stadium or is a last minute change of venue from the Shah Alam Stadium to National Stadium. If that is the case, should it not be the event organisers to pay whatever is required to secure the National Stadium. Or has a deal been made with the FA of Malaysia to book the venue.
This is just as complicated as the issue on the "Tiger stripe issue" where Telecom Malaysia, the National Sports Council, Olympic Council of Malaysia and attire manufacturer and official supplier Mesuma are involved in patent right issue.
Why has Malaysian sports to be so complicated and get into controversies everytime.
I though we had competent officials who know all the rights and wrongs in sports dealings.
The bottom-line for all these issues is MONEY and the private parties involved who either are not familiar with what they are handling or is pure incompetency on their part. Let us not talk of the sports officials who are involved in the deals, for it might open another can of worms.
Indeed sad for Malaysian sports when after almost 54 years of independence, we are still making schoolboy mistakes despite sports having gone professional in many areas in Malaysia.
Can someone shed some light as to why all these mess?
I suppose that is asking too much, as each one would want to cover their mess and tracks!
Good luck to Malaysian sports and welcome to Malaysia the controversial and bo-bo hub for sports dealings!
Football: National Stadium to re-open earlier
THE National Stadium in Bukit Jalil will open its doors for Malaysia's World Cup and Olympic qualifying matches next month and in July. The stadium, which is now closed for the laying of a new track, was originally scheduled to open only in August.
However, the Stadium Board, which manages the National Stadium, and the contractor have agreed to postpone it to accommodate the matches.
This means the Stadium Board will pay a fine of RM500,000 to the contractor.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are also scheduled to attend an 11-day EPL Festival in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia will play former English Premiership champions Arsenal on July 10, followed by former Champions League winners Liverpool, six days later and Chelsea on July 21.
All these matches will now be held at the National Stadium. It is learnt that the English clubs were earlier unhappy about playing at the proposed venue at the Shah Alam Stadium, which subsequently forced the concerned parties to move these matches to the National Stadium.According to FA of Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad, the issue in regard to the fine is an internal matter between the Stadium Board and the contractor."Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek will make an official announcement soon. FAM will not absorb the cost," said Azzuddin yesterday.
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