Aidid: Amendments favourable to me

19/05/2002

PENANG AAA president Datuk Mohamed Syed Aidid Syed Murtaza is confident
that states will embrace the Special Management Committee's proposed
amendments for the Malaysian AAU.
Speaking after attending Timesport journalist S. Selvam's wedding with
Jennifer Ann Gomez in Petaling Jaya yesterday, Syed Aidid said: "Penang
AAA will hold a meeting on Monday (tomorrow) and I expect an unanimous
decision on the proposals."
When asked if he has been in contact with the presidents of other AAA's,
Syed Aidid said: "Yes, I have spoken to some states and the response so
far to the amendments has been encouraging. But I am not in the position
to indulge on statistics."
In the Special Management Committee's proposed amendments, the most
significant change was in the electoral process.
The major changes that would happen, if the amendments are accepted by
MAAU affiliates, are to the association's membership, voting rights and
appointment to key positions.
"I have read the proposed amendments and I am happy with them. So I see
no reason why they should not be accepted by the state affiliates," said
Syed Aidid.
Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar, heading the Special Management Committee,
had said that if MAAU and the State AAAs accept the amendments, the Sports
Commissioner will approve the new constitution and MAAU had 21 days to
hold a biennial general meeting (BGM) to elect new office bearers.
"I am confident of a good outcome during the extraordinary general
meeting (EGM) because of the positive feedback that I have received so
far," said Syed Aidid.
The suspension of MAAU, which was invoked on Feb 28, will be lifted
immediately and MAAU can function as normal after the amendments are
accepted.
A major change will be the opening of MAAU's membership to the sports
councils of the Armed Forces, banks, the Government services,
universities, Malaysian Schools (MSSM) and the Police.
Presently, only MSSM is in the MAAU council but it doesn't have voting
rights.
There is also a provision for new affiliates, either private or public,
provided they have a nationwide athletics programme and their affiliation
is endorsed by the MAAU general assembly.
The change to the electoral process will see the possibility of one
affiliate having as many as four votes.
What an affiliate is confirmed of having is two votes but in an effort
to make the State AAA presidents more committed to the sport, a further
one vote will be awarded if they turn up for the elections. The
president's vote is non-transferable.
Affiliates, if they have an active athletics programme, will have an
additional vote. Presently, each State AAA has only one vote.
The executive board, which will be responsible for the management of
MAAU, will comprise the president, deputy president, three vice
presidents, five elected board members and five appointed board members.
The management committee has also proposed that the executive board will
have the power to appoint a paid general manager or general secretary on a
contract basis for either two or three years.
The board will also appoint a honorary treasurer or a salaried
treasurer, also on a contract basis, and a honorary statistician.
The chairpersons of the various committees, who are presently elected,
will also be appointed and they will be members of the executive board.
The various committees must meet a minimum six times annually.
The MAAU council will consist of all members of the executive board, one
representative per-affiliate, the general manager/general secretary, the
honorary treasurer/treasurer, the honorary statistician and an athletes'
representative who will be appointed by the board.
The amendments can only be instituted with a two-thirds majority in the
EGM.
And Syed Aidid, who was an ex-officio member of the Special Management
Committee, believes they will achieve that majority.
(END)