Aug 2 2007, 08:14 AM, updated 19y ago
QUOTE
Ministers and deputies told to quit posts in sports bodies
By DEVID RAJAH and SIM LEOI LEOI
PUTRAJAYA: All ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries have been barred with immediate effect from holding any management or executive positions in sports associations or bodies.
However, mentris besar, chief ministers and Members of Parliament can continue to helm or hold positions in such bodies.
The decision was made at the weekly Cabinet meeting here yesterday. It follows the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin's decision to step down as chairman of the KL World Endurance (Equestrian) Cup.
It is understood that Sultan Mizan had conveyed this to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recently.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said the Cabinet felt that there were many personalities, including former athletes and corporate leaders, besides politicians who could lead sports bodies and associations.
She said the Prime Minister suggested that ministers and deputy ministers, as well as parliamentary secretaries, should take the lead from the King and stop being involved in the running of sports bodies and concentrate on their official duties.
"But they could remain as figureheads or advisers of the bodies they are in.
"The Cabinet also does not want the image of a minister to be tarnished if a sports association fails to perform or fulfil targets as this may lead to them being made the 'scapegoat'.
"The funding sports associations receive from the Government is not based on the personalities leading them but on the performance of the sports, especially when we are going to introduce a rating system soon on this," Azalina said.
She added that mentris besar and chief ministers were not affected by the ban as the Cabinet had no jurisdiction over them.
"The Prime Minister did not mention anything about their status," she told reporters.
Azalina said the decision would not adversely affect sports bodies that were being helmed by ministers, their deputies or parliamentary secretaries.
She also noted that sports like bowling, squash and badminton had been doing well even without the active involvement of politicians and they were being run by corporate figures or ex-athletes.
Azalina said Cabinet ministers holding management positions in sports bodies agreed with Abdullah's suggestion to step down.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the ban was to allow ministers to focus their whole attention on the administration of the Government.
"They can continue being advisers or patrons of the sports bodies, and they can still contribute to the development of the sports," he said.
Asked if the ban could have been spurred by the deteriorating condition of the national football team, Liow said many politicians had contributed greatly to the sports bodies they had posts in.
"But we want to protect the ministers and their image. The national football team's failure is not the issue at all," he said.
Now, let's see if this can bring about the desired changes in our sports. But I guess it won't give immediate results, let's give 'em more time shall we...By DEVID RAJAH and SIM LEOI LEOI
PUTRAJAYA: All ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries have been barred with immediate effect from holding any management or executive positions in sports associations or bodies.
However, mentris besar, chief ministers and Members of Parliament can continue to helm or hold positions in such bodies.
The decision was made at the weekly Cabinet meeting here yesterday. It follows the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin's decision to step down as chairman of the KL World Endurance (Equestrian) Cup.
It is understood that Sultan Mizan had conveyed this to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recently.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said the Cabinet felt that there were many personalities, including former athletes and corporate leaders, besides politicians who could lead sports bodies and associations.
She said the Prime Minister suggested that ministers and deputy ministers, as well as parliamentary secretaries, should take the lead from the King and stop being involved in the running of sports bodies and concentrate on their official duties.
"But they could remain as figureheads or advisers of the bodies they are in.
"The Cabinet also does not want the image of a minister to be tarnished if a sports association fails to perform or fulfil targets as this may lead to them being made the 'scapegoat'.
"The funding sports associations receive from the Government is not based on the personalities leading them but on the performance of the sports, especially when we are going to introduce a rating system soon on this," Azalina said.
She added that mentris besar and chief ministers were not affected by the ban as the Cabinet had no jurisdiction over them.
"The Prime Minister did not mention anything about their status," she told reporters.
Azalina said the decision would not adversely affect sports bodies that were being helmed by ministers, their deputies or parliamentary secretaries.
She also noted that sports like bowling, squash and badminton had been doing well even without the active involvement of politicians and they were being run by corporate figures or ex-athletes.
Azalina said Cabinet ministers holding management positions in sports bodies agreed with Abdullah's suggestion to step down.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the ban was to allow ministers to focus their whole attention on the administration of the Government.
"They can continue being advisers or patrons of the sports bodies, and they can still contribute to the development of the sports," he said.
Asked if the ban could have been spurred by the deteriorating condition of the national football team, Liow said many politicians had contributed greatly to the sports bodies they had posts in.
"But we want to protect the ministers and their image. The national football team's failure is not the issue at all," he said.
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