MALAYSIA: Penang TA stand by deregistered national body

K. KANDIAH
May 20

THE Penang Taekwondo Association (PTA) are firmly behind the Malaysian Taekwondo Association (MTA) and their office- bearers.

PTA secretary Dr Pok Sen Wei said this is in no way showing disrespect to Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said or Sports Commissioner Tan Sri Elyas Omar and his office.

"It was the committee’s decision to support the national body and we stand by it till the end," Sen Wei told Timesport yesterday.

"Our decision is in no way showing disrespect to the Sports Minister or the Sports Commissioner. Our firm decision is to allow the MTA to get things in order as stipulated in our constitution, even if it means going to court to solve the matter."

He said the PTA believe that the MTA will be able to solve the problem amicably and that they are headed in the right direction.

The MTA, the governing body for taekwondo under the World Taekwondo Federation-system in Malaysia, were de-registered by Elyas on May 6 and have 30 days to appeal against the decision from the date of the noticification.

MTA chairman Chin Mee Keong on May 9 claimed that the national body’s perceived defiant stand against the Sports Commissioner had "101 percent support from the general council" comprising representatives from each State association.

Elyas revoked the MTA’s registration based on Article 20(1)(e) of the Sports Development Act 1997, which states that the Commissioner may revoke or suspend the registration of a sports body if the Commissioner is satisfied that such sports body is hindering the development of the particular sport and it is in the public interest to revoke or suspend its registration.

At the centre of the controversy is the MTA's reluctance to grant clubs voting rights despite Elyas presenting five models of governance and issuing the association a show cause letter on April 15.

According to Elyas, the MTA’s amendments did not guarantee clubs voting rights, contrary to what was promised by the MTA.

On Monday the Selangor Taekwondo Association became the first State body to withdraw their support of the MTA followed by the Terengganu Taekwondo Association the following day.

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