MALAYSIA: MTA just stalling for time?

Comment by S. Selvam

April 22:

"AFTER the dialogue session with the Sports Commissioner, Tan Sri Elyas Omar, on Feb 16, 2005, MTA/WTF has come to fully understand the manner and mechanism of introducing and implementing the Club structure into the MTA/WTF."

This statement was signed by Malaysian Taekwondo Association (MTA) chairman Chin Mee Keong and then acting secretary-general Yeap Swee Bee and distributed to members of the media on March 15 at a Press Conference at the Commissioner's office in Bukit Jalil.

Which is why MTA's reply to the Commissioner's show cause letter, asking for clarification, defies logic.

MTA were issued a show cause letter by Elyas under Section 20 (1) (e) of the Sports Development Act, 1997, for hindering the development of taekwondo in the country.

This followed after MTA's proposed constitutional amendments were deemed to be in contrast to Elyas' advice to ensure clubs are given direct affiliation and voting rights in MTA.

According to a Malay Mail report, MTA's reply to Elyas, among others, stated that the association were perplexed with the contents of Elyas' letter and wanted the Commissioner to explain things further.

"Based on your detailed explanation, we then would be able to clearly identify and make the necessary changes to our proposed amendments so it would not contravene or run foul against the Sports Development Act 1997 or the requirements of your good office," the newspaper quoted a signed statement by MTA president Ho Kam Phaw.

Ho Kam Phaw was also quoted to have said that MTA would like to ensure they did not make hasty changes which they, as the national governing body, may later regret.

All of which, appears that MTA are stalling for time.

Either that, or the MTA chairman and president, have a different understanding of Elyas' presentation on Feb 16.

For the record, Elyas presented MTA officials, State affiliates and clubs five models of governance, all of which provides clubs direct affiliation with voting rights.

On March 15, MTA, based on the same excuse - not wanting to make hasty changes given the magnitude of the decision - got Elyas to let them hold their BGM even without amending their constitution (something which Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said instructed them to do) with the guarantee that clubs will be given voting rights.

And it is indeed puzzling to note that from fully "understanding the manner and mechanism of implementing the club structure", the MTA are now suddenly confused.

And it looks like it is Elyas who has been slapped with a show cause letter by MTA.

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