KUALA LUMPUR, August 1 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet directive barring ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries from holding posts in sports associations will have an implication on Malaysian sports, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar said today.
"It is an
interesting directive but it will have an implication on Malaysian sports. I think probably if we can bring out new leaders from the private sector, it will be a good thing. The debate on this has gone on a few years and recently it came up again.
"It is a question of the commitment of the senior politicians and the reason for the NSAs (National Sports Associations) bringing in the politicians," he said.
Earlier today, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said announced that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had barred ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries from holding posts in sports associations.
Azalina said the directive, effective immediately, was issued at the weekly Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.
"As we all know, sports is a very good platform for publicity. You have to understand that if the senior politician is there just to be recognised, that's the wrong person for the association to invite to be their leader," Tunku Imran said.
He noted that many associations feel that by getting a senior politician as their leader, they could raise money easily and could get a lot of influence in different areas.
"In most cases, this could back-fire on the association because sometimes it attracts more people into the association, who are more interested in getting closer to the political leader than really being committed to working for the NSAs," he added.
He urged the affected NSAs to choose a leader who is committed, unbiased and has the time and integrity.
-- BERNAMA 1 August 2007
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