No ACT-tion

23/07/1998

QUESTION: Why was the Sports Act introduced this year?
ANSWER: To mediate in disputes between sports associations and their
affiliates or players.
The current tiff between the BA of Malaysia and professional stable Nusa
Mahsuri over Commonwealth Games selection might seem to be a reason for an
intervention.
Actually no, because Nusa Mahsuri are not affiliated to the Selangor BA
nor are they affiliated to BAM.
In fact, BAM should not have responded to the Nusa grumblings in the
first place because they have no business in making demands to BAM.
On that score, there is no question of the Act being enforced to end the
bickering between the two parties.
Sports Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin must have realised this when he
said yesterday that he would rather use mediators than the Sports Act to
end the BAM-Nusa Mahsuri standoff.
"The Sports Act is not suitable at this juncture. It would be improper
if the Sports Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Bakri Shabdin were to step in and
solve issues among athletes and associations," said Muhyiddin after
chairing a Commonwealth Games venue managers' meeting at Bukit Jalil
yesterday.
"I would prefer that the athletes are selected based on merit so that
our chances of winning medals during the Commonwealth Games would be
better."
Badminton, swimming, gymnastics and athletics have had their fair share
of controversies in the selection of athletes for the Games.
Bakri was used as a mediator to solve the issue of Farah Zelina Kamal
being dropped from the national gymnastics squad because she failed to
meet the qualifying mark.
Farah was reinstated after Bakri met representatives of the Malaysian
Gymnastics Federation.
The dispute between BAM and Nusa is over petty issues like training
allowances.
Nusa players Roslim Hashim, Rashid Sidek and Ismail Saman also want to
make the national squad without attending trials.
"The right thing to do now is to have a mediator solve the problem
between BAM and Nusa Mahsuri. I have personally told National Sports
Council (NSC) director general Datuk Mazlan Ahmad to have a meeting with
both parties and solve the problem amicably," said Muhyiddin.
Mazlan was not willing to comment of the course of action except to say:
"Let's wait and see. I have to meet both parties first."
(END)