Sports – the last frontier to unite Malaysians – is now used to divide Malaysians.
This is what I told the Sports and Youth Minister, Datuk Azalina binti Othman Said in Parliament during the winding-up of the Royal Address debate yesterday.
As proof, I gave three instances:
1. Newly-crowned All-England doubles champions Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong being “forced” by Deputy Sports and Youth Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai to campaign for MCA and Barisan Nasional in the Machap by-election by making an appearance at the “Malaysia Love Badminton Campaign” in Machap on Sunday.
2. Sports Commissioners Tan Sri Elyas Omar approving and registering Malaysian Sepaktakraw Association as a “sports body” under Section 11 of the Sports Development Act 1997 although it violated the law with its very narrow and discriminatory provision in its by-laws.
Section 13.10 of the Malaysian Sepaktakraw Association Constitution stipulating that “Semua Ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan setiap Pegawai dalam Persatuan hendaklah terdiri dari Bumiptuera Warganegara Malaysia” violates Section 2 of Second Schedule of the Sports Development Act 1997 on “Constitution and Rules of Sports Bodies Acting as the Governing or Representative Body of its Sports at National Level” which reads:
“2. Its activities are conducted without discrimination as to sex, race, colour, religion, social origin, language, political inclination or any other opinion held by its members.”
3. Sports Ministry discriminating against Malaysian Cricket Association by channeling all its funds to the Malaysian Malay Cricket Association.
Azalina cannot be blamed for the abuse of powers in forcing Kien Keat and Boon Heong to help MCA in its Machap by-election campaign, for it was clearly the brain-wave of the Deputy Sports and Youth Minister and MCA Youth leader, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai.
But it was just wrong and most deplorable to manipulate and commandeer Kien Keat and Boon Heong to serve the MCA Machap by-election campaign.
I told Azalina and Parliament aht Kien Keat and Boon Heong are heroes for all Malaysians, regardless of political beliefs, race, religion or age, and all Malaysians hope that they can advance to greater glories in badminton for themselves and the nation — winning the Thomas Cup and Olympic Gold.
It is all the more contemptible on the part of the MCA Youth leader to diminish Kien Keat and Boon Heong’s status as heroes for all Malaysians by forcing them to be part of the MCA Machap by-election campaign – an abuse of power which must be condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians.
As for the second and third instances, Azalina said she would need to check before making any comments.