Skip to main content

Shahidan, Karim in the fray


MAF president Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad unveils the nominees for office bearers with deputy president Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh (left) and general manager Datuk Kenneth J. Luis (right) yesterday. Pic by Hasriyasyah Sabudin

DATUK Seri Shahidan Kassim and his former deputy, Karim Ibrahim, secured eight nominations between them for the Malaysian Athletics Federationā€™s (MAF) top post when the nominees were unveiled yesterday.

Former MAF president Shahidan and Karim, who were both voted out as president and deputy president at the last elections in September 2012, will face MAF deputy president Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh in a three-way contest on Nov 1.

With incumbent president Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad choosing not to defend his post, it paves the way for the 14 affiliates of MAF to decide whether to continue with the present set-up or
return to the conflict-ridden way of the past with Shahidan or Karim.

Karim is eligible to stand after becoming Perak Athletics Association president, having had his six-year ban imposed by MAF overturned in court.

A damning report by an independent inquiry in 2012 found Karim responsible for hiring a Bulgarian doctor who prescribed unknown substances which led to relay runner Yunus Lasalehā€™s failed drugs test at the 2011 Sea Games; that Karim told six national athletes to skip dope tests the same year and for Karimā€™s failure to account for over RM60,000 for a 2009 training stint in Germany.

Yunus and the six national athletes were all subsequently banned for up to two years while national coach Harun Rasheed was suspended for 10 years.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Shahidan secured two nominations from his home state of Perlis and Selangor while Karim was nominated by Sabah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Johor and Malacca.

Only Terengganu nominated Wan Hisham.

Karim also secured two nominations for the deputy presidentā€™s post where he will face off against Wan Hisham, Pahangā€™s Datuk R. Annamalai, Johor's Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed and Selangorā€™s S. M. Muthu.

Ten candidates will also vie for the four vice-president posts.

Shahidanā€™s nomination came despite a 2007 cabinet directive which bars ministers from holding positions in national sport associations.

ā€œThis is a democratic process and anybody can stand (for president),ā€ said Zainal after opening the nomination papers at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

ā€œWhat I will say is that the position of president requires someone who can work full-time and he must be free of any encumbrance.ā€

MAFā€™s constitution allows for anyone to contest for the presidentā€™s post but only affiliate members can stand for the other positions.

A total of 42 delegates from 14 affiliates will choose the office bearers for the next two-year term.


By DEVINDER SINGH  - NST

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...

Chance to catch Messi and company

  FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and vice president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin with FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Pic by Osman Adnan LIONEL Messi's presence alone could sell half the tickets despite reigning world club champions FC Barcelona's date with a Malaysian XI at the National Stadium on Aug 10 falling on the third day of Hari Raya. The much anticipated visit of the four-time European champions comes with expectations from fans who want a full star-studded line-up. "The summer will be a busy period with a lot of uncertainty with players moving away and coming in. "But yes, our plans are to bring our full team here," said FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Rossich was speaking at the announcement of the friendly match, which is part of the three-match FC Barcelona Asia Tour 2013, which sees the giants also visiting China and Thailand. Also pre...