17/11/2002
OLYMPIC Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar has been returned unopposed for a third term.
Nominations closed at midnight yesterday, and at Press time, three posts
were void of challenges.
OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, first elected in 1992, and treasurer
Datuk Kee Yong Wee, were the other two incumbents returned unopposed.
But three nominations were received for the deputy president's post,
currently held by Tan Sri Khir Johari. However, Khir has indicated that he will not be seeking re-election.
OCM also received 13 nominations for the five vice presidents posts.
Sieh did not reveal the names as some might have been nominated without their consent and could withdraw.
"The full list of nominations can only be released on Nov 30 because
there are bound to be changes and we need to ask those who have been
nominated whether they are really interested in the post or have been
nominated without their consent," said Sieh yesterday.
Three women are among the candidates who were nominated for the vice-president's posts.
"There is a provision to reserve one vice president's post for a woman
but since there are three nominations, one will fill the automatic seat
while the other two can challenge for the remaining four posts," said
Sieh.
The five incumbents are Datuk Khalid Yunus, Datuk M. Jegathesan, W.Y.
Chin, Datuk Syed Mohamed Aidid and Norminshah Sabirin and, according to Sieh, all five have been nominated and they will defend their seats.
"The OCM elections are on Dec 14 and there might be some withdrawals
when the final list is confirmed on Nov 30. OCM has 35 voting members and each member has three votes. We also have 12 non-voting affiliates," said Sieh.
As for the 10 incumbents, they do not have voting rights and this,
according to Sieh, suits the council well.
"We have many voting members so there is no need for the incumbents to
have voting rights, unlike smaller associations where they have fewer
voting members and the incumbent votes are needed to have a check-and-balance system," said Sieh.
Assistant secretaries Mohamed Fadzil Othman and Latifah Ya'cob will be
challenged by two men and one woman candidate. And for the assistant
treasurer's post, which is currently held by S. Jahendran, there were
three nominations.
"The main agenda after the elections is to amend the constitution and
allow OCM to arbitrate in matters relating to their affiliates. At
present, we have an unwritten rule where associations can refer to us if
they have problems, but we can't force them to come to us because it is
not provided for in the constitution.
"Once we amend the constitution and make arbitration compulsory, they
will have to face us when we call them up," said Sieh.
The Malaysian AAU, the Malaysian Hockey Federation and the ongoing
Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia problems are among the reasons why the OCM decided to amend its constitution to allow arbitration.
"Under the Sports Act, there is a provision to have an arbitration body
in the OCM before the matter is passed on to the Sports Commissioner. So by amending the constitution, we will only be exercising our rights."
Meanwhile, Sieh also said that OCM are trying to get Tunku Imran elected into the Olympic Council of Asia.
"It will be a feather in the cap for Tunku and for the progress of
Malaysian sports if he is elected as the Rules Committee Chairman of OCA.
Much work can be done in that area and we feel that Tunku is the right man for the position."
Tunku Imran is currently on the International Olympic Council's (IOC)
Commission of Sports and Law committee and he will attempt to become a committee chairman of OCA during their elections on Jan 24.
(END)
Nominations closed at midnight yesterday, and at Press time, three posts
were void of challenges.
OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, first elected in 1992, and treasurer
Datuk Kee Yong Wee, were the other two incumbents returned unopposed.
But three nominations were received for the deputy president's post,
currently held by Tan Sri Khir Johari. However, Khir has indicated that he will not be seeking re-election.
OCM also received 13 nominations for the five vice presidents posts.
Sieh did not reveal the names as some might have been nominated without their consent and could withdraw.
"The full list of nominations can only be released on Nov 30 because
there are bound to be changes and we need to ask those who have been
nominated whether they are really interested in the post or have been
nominated without their consent," said Sieh yesterday.
Three women are among the candidates who were nominated for the vice-president's posts.
"There is a provision to reserve one vice president's post for a woman
but since there are three nominations, one will fill the automatic seat
while the other two can challenge for the remaining four posts," said
Sieh.
The five incumbents are Datuk Khalid Yunus, Datuk M. Jegathesan, W.Y.
Chin, Datuk Syed Mohamed Aidid and Norminshah Sabirin and, according to Sieh, all five have been nominated and they will defend their seats.
"The OCM elections are on Dec 14 and there might be some withdrawals
when the final list is confirmed on Nov 30. OCM has 35 voting members and each member has three votes. We also have 12 non-voting affiliates," said Sieh.
As for the 10 incumbents, they do not have voting rights and this,
according to Sieh, suits the council well.
"We have many voting members so there is no need for the incumbents to
have voting rights, unlike smaller associations where they have fewer
voting members and the incumbent votes are needed to have a check-and-balance system," said Sieh.
Assistant secretaries Mohamed Fadzil Othman and Latifah Ya'cob will be
challenged by two men and one woman candidate. And for the assistant
treasurer's post, which is currently held by S. Jahendran, there were
three nominations.
"The main agenda after the elections is to amend the constitution and
allow OCM to arbitrate in matters relating to their affiliates. At
present, we have an unwritten rule where associations can refer to us if
they have problems, but we can't force them to come to us because it is
not provided for in the constitution.
"Once we amend the constitution and make arbitration compulsory, they
will have to face us when we call them up," said Sieh.
The Malaysian AAU, the Malaysian Hockey Federation and the ongoing
Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia problems are among the reasons why the OCM decided to amend its constitution to allow arbitration.
"Under the Sports Act, there is a provision to have an arbitration body
in the OCM before the matter is passed on to the Sports Commissioner. So by amending the constitution, we will only be exercising our rights."
Meanwhile, Sieh also said that OCM are trying to get Tunku Imran elected into the Olympic Council of Asia.
"It will be a feather in the cap for Tunku and for the progress of
Malaysian sports if he is elected as the Rules Committee Chairman of OCA.
Much work can be done in that area and we feel that Tunku is the right man for the position."
Tunku Imran is currently on the International Olympic Council's (IOC)
Commission of Sports and Law committee and he will attempt to become a committee chairman of OCA during their elections on Jan 24.
(END)
