takraw blues

THE Sepak Takraw Association Malaysia (PSM) is courting more issues then winning tournaments these days.

First it started out with their non participation of the the 24th SEA Games last month no thanks to the usage of a new ball, Marathon Gen II (left) introduced by the organisers.

Their decision received the lambast by many quarters - from the Malaysian Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said to even the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) who have decided to penalise PSM's president Ahmad Ismail.

Now, they are trying to dimiss talks of a 'racist' constitution.

A 'concerned sport lover' highlighted the issue to major dailies. Sadly it never saw publication as most editors deemed it to be 'very sensitive'.

Among the contents of the e-mail include..."What took me by surprise was article 13.10 of its Constitution which read ‘Semua Ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan setiap Pegawai dalam Persatuan hendaklah terdiri dari Bumiputera Warganegara Malaysia’.

The Constitution was last reviewed with amendment by the Sports Commissioner (SC) on 4.10.2006. It was also approved for circulation by its President Dato’ Haji Ahmad Ismail and its Secretary General Haji Arshad Haji Yahaya on 4.10.2006."

It must be noted PSM later clarified the issue saying they have ammended the Article to 'Semua Ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan setiap Pegawai dalam Persatuan hendaklah terdiri dari Warganegara Malaysia'.

Even SC Elyas Omar acknowledged it was clarified and that it was a non-issue since it happened two years ago.

The question remains, why was the word Bumiputra included in the first place?!!

Note: The 'concerned sport lover' MTA secretary T.Kumar and Elyas Omar do not share similar views no thanks to the deregistration of MTA sometime ago. Hint, hint..you get the picture?