MAZLAN TAKES POWERPGREEDY OFFICIALS TO TASK

By Tony Mariadass

 Limit positions held by officials

There is a call to make a rule in the sports fraternity to limit sports officials in holding positions in associations in the wake of a growing trend of many holding or seeking to hold one too many positions.

Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad, a veteran sports administrator, the former director general of the National Sports Council, said officials should be limited to one position in National Sports Associations (NSAs) and maybe one at the State level.

“Preferably when they hold a position at the national level, they should relinquish their State position,” said the 70-year old who had served 34 years as an administrator that saw him moving up from an officer to director general of the National Sports Council (NSC).

“But the problem is that officials are reluctant to step down from their State position when they are holding national level position because they are afraid that after their term at national level, they have nowhere to go back to.”

Asked why officials fancy holding too many posts, he simply replied: “Maybe they think they can do wonders!”

But he said that sometimes officials are sought and pushed to contest by officials from the associations to elevate the status of their respective associations with the presence of these officials or seeking monetary assistance from them.

“But at the end of the day, the officials who are asked to stand for election should weigh all factors, especially if they have the time and passion for the sports before committing.

“Officials seeking office should not have too much on their plate or spread themselves thin,” said Mazlan who started off his involvement in sports as cycling official.

Mazlan also said than more often than not, many want to be involved in sports and in one too associations, to elevate themselves with personal agendas and using sports as their platform.

“It is time that the Sports Commissioner comes up with a ruling to limit officials holding positions in sports associations,” said Mazlan.

“Officials should also be confined to two terms of the Olympic cycle and maybe even impose age-limit,” added Mazlan.

Mazlan also added that the role of politicians in sports associations too needs to be reviewed.

“The rule about Federal Ministers barred from holding positions in sports associations still stands, but there is no hard and fast rule about politicians and chief ministers.”

Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) secretary V. Rajamanickam said that KLHA has a ruling for the last 20 years that once an official from the association gets elected to the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), they have to relinquish their position in KLHA.

“This we have adhered to strictly and the like of George Koshy, Datuk Dr S.S. Cheema and K. Maheswari, who have all gone up to MHC, had given up their post in KLHA,” said Rajamanikam the KLHA secretary since 1993.

“It is about time that a rule be incorporated in the Sports Act that sports officials can hold office in one association only, be it state or national level.

“Many officials come aboard sports association with personal agendas and also use the platform to vie for international association positions.

“We have no qualms about officials who are really passionate about the sport, want to get involved, can serve and contribute to the sports.

“We have a population of 35 million people, surely we have enough people with sports background and knowledge who want to serve, to go around and no need to have several personalities sitting in several associations.

“Normally, it is officials who gain from sports associations and not the athletes.”

Datuk Sri Shanmuganathan, the captain of the 1975 World Cup team and founder member of KLHA in 1981, also said that sports officials should only head one association and give their all.

“I simply cannot understand why officials want to be in several associations. It only dons on me that they seeking personal glories and have agendas,” said Shanmuganathan who served as vice-president for two term.

“How can they serve more than one association and contribute effectively,” he asked.

This Saturday, Malaysia Canoe Association (Masca) president Datuk Seri Megat Shahriman Zaharudin is vying for the top post at the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) annual general meeting.

Megat will be challenged by Khairy Jamaluddin the former Youth and Sports Minister, if his nomination is accepted by PCM together with four other nominations which were also submitted a day after the closing date.

Megat is also standing for president at the KLHA elections which will be held on Saturday too.

There are a good number of officials who are currently holding key posts in several sports association.

Probably to set a good example, the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) themselves have to look at themselves.

Among their executive board, half the members still hold one or more positions locally or in international bodies.

Although the OCM constitution does not require those elected to relinquish their state, national or international positions, maybe a relook on the matter is on the cards.

Ends.