Photo by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels
The Malaysia Disabled Bowls Association (MDBA) and the outgoing secretary general of the Malaysia Paralympic Council (MPM) have extended an olive branch to resolve the current controversy surrounding the MPM elections.
In a letter addressed to the MPM president SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin the bowls association confirmed the withdrawal of the nomination of Siti Zaharah binti Tan Sri Abdul Khalid for the post of vice-president.
Her nomination was among the five that were submitted a day after the closing of nominations for the various posts up for election at the MPM elections last June 29.
The others were from former Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, deputy president John Ng Kean Chuan, Nasharuddin Hashim and Dr S Radha Krishnan.
MDBA president Abdul Rais bin Mohamad Mokhtar in his letter had also called upon the others to follow suit to uphold the integrity of the association as well as to ensure the development of disabled athletes were not affected.
The MPM was forced to postpone its AGM earlier with those who had filed in their nomination late insisting on their eligibility. The Sports Commissioner’s Office had also confirmed the ineligibility while some of those affected have been trying to bypass the decision with an ill-timed extraordinary general meeting.
The step taken by MDBA and Siti would definitely diffuse the situation although it remains to be seen whether the others would take the same path.
Nevertheless, this is the first indication that the membership of the MPM are beginning to see the need to abide by their own rules for the future of sports for the disabled in Malaysia.
Perhaps Khairy should also consider the same. After all he was the former Sports Minister and should understand the scenario better than the others. The same goes to John Ng, who is legally trained and should be able to discern the correct path to take.
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