MALAYSIA: Stay focused on the job not votes

By S. Selvam

GRANTING clubs the right to vote presents a whole new scenario to the State-based affiliation system but it is the obsession for voting rights that is causing much concern to Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi (pic).
So much so Kok Chi is worried that the sports community may be disillusioned and distracted from what they (OCM) are supposed to do in the first place - develop the sport for the masses, and for excellence.

"I really don't know why everybody is so obsessed with voting rights?" questioned Kok Chi yesterday.

"Does it mean that all they are interested in is to vote or are they just interested in power?

"I strongly believe that all parties should just do what they are supposed to do.

"At the end of the day, it is results that matter. If you can produce a champion, people have to acknowledge what you are doing."

Voting rights, especially to clubs, has become a thorny issue after Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said ordered the Malaysian Taekwondo Association (MTA) constitution to be amended to allow clubs to be directly affiliated to the national body and, in an unprecedented move, give them voting rights as well.

Malaysia's sports structure is basically State-based with all State associations given automatic voting rights and in some national associations, uniformed services like the Armed Forces and Royal Malaysian Police, are given voting rights as well. But never clubs.

Which is why Kok Chi hailed Azalina's decision as a refreshing change.

"All this while it has been State-based but there are certain sports that may be able to prescribe to the club system," said Kok Chi.

"We have tried the State-based system, maybe it is time to give the club system a shot.

"Having said that, I believe the issue of voting rights is surfacing because all parties have their own agenda."

Sports Advisory Panel chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad and Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar have proposed. among others, that the number of votes should be based on results of the affiliates' exponents in domestic and international competitions, number of exponents produced for the national team, ability to manage the club, membership and development programmes.

But as far as Kok Chi is concerned, these are things that both States and clubs should do even without dangling votes as the carrot.

"After all, it is their sport and everybody is passionate about it. As such, they must be doing all these even without being told to do so," said Kok Chi.

And if they (States or clubs) are doing it (development) properly, and if the interest of the sport is the priority, it would be unwise not to recognise the affiliate's efforts.

Source from http://www.nst.com.my