Malay Mali Sportcheck: Kok Chi: Not wise to force the issue on clubs

Feb 14:
IF you ask Datuk Sieh Kok Chi’s views on clubs being directly affiliated to the national body issue, he will tell you not to compare apples with oranges.
To introduce or to force a change of the present structure without a deeper study to find out how many clubs wish to become direct members of the national sports associations (NSAs), according to Kok Chi, would not be wise.He added NSAs cannot and should not admit individual clubs, directly as members, as it would tantamount to saying a club is equivalent to a State. Similarly, the same principle applies to State Sports Associations (SSAs), who should not admit individuals as members, but only clubs.The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary questioned what the great rush to impose changes was all about, especially when the majority of the clubs are quite happy with the existing situation.“The agenda is being pursued by only a couple proprietors of so called “clubs”, which are really “profit making sport business“ and they are not satisfied just making money, but also wish to show how powerful they are. “The way to go is to ensure we compare apples with apples and not apples with oranges.“There are a number of NSAs established a long time ago, with States as their members, which are doing well.“There are also a few newer NSAs of less popular sports, who have been established with clubs as members and doing well,” said Kok Chi.The former water polo player said before any move to allow clubs to be directly affiliated to their respective NSAs, there is a more urgent need to revamp the SSAs.“At present, there are a number of SSAs, whose memberships are a mixture of individuals and clubs.“Under such situations, the few individual members control the SSAs, because they can easily out vote the clubs.“To perpetuate their powers, the office bearers of such SSAs control the admission of individual members and clubs very tightly. This is where the discontentment and unfairness exist, not at NSAs level but at the SSAs level. The correct action to take is as follows:* Ensure that no individuals can be direct members of SSAs with voting rights;* Only clubs can be members of SSAs with voting rights;* Incumbent office bearers shall have no votes during elections of office bearers, unless they are delegates of clubs.* Ensure one of the main objectives of SSAs is to form as many clubs as possible within their states.“Of late there is a new entry of so-called “clubs”, who are actually individual profit making sports businesses, under the Registrar of Companies (ROC). This group of individual business people are just like other individuals interested in sports.“They too have no constitutions and are answerable to themselves only. They come and go and when their business fail, they too will disappear to look for greener pastures,” he said.