From MACC investigations, allegations of high handed officials, lack of development plans and boycott by journalists.
What else can go wrong for MAAU? They were in the limelight last decade and have continued to hog the limelight, all for the wrong reasons yet again.
While I would not want to touch on the MACC investigations ( to be honest I know nothing about that), the other three matters do interest me. For those are everyday affairs of several other national sports associations in the country.
MAAU are being heckled, most likely due to the fact that their president has not much political clout, so much so that even the NSC Media Officer has made statements while the Directors and DG of NSC are relatively quiet.
The attacks started right after the SEA Games, where one paper even went on to say that there was a shouting match between the NSC DG and the MAAU President at the lobby of a hotel. If this has happened as reported, then the right Honourable Minister ought to haul up the duo for a chat and look into the matter seriously as we cannot and ought to not take our petty fights out of the country, as of Malaysia's image is not shed enough by some politicians.
Right or wrong, the correct personalities in NSC should make the statements with regards to MAAU. If they have no staff manning the office, then as owners of the building, NSC should evict them, period.
And here is what is more interesting, seems that (according to NSC Media Officer), MAAU want NSC to seek the services of a General Manager. So what's wrong with that? It is obvious that NSC want to have a say in who is the GM, be it for any sport, so what's the big deal here mate?
Thus before the circus gets out of hand with more clowns joining the fray, Dato Zolkples Embong and Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, get onto the table, discuss matters like perfect gentlemen and sort things out.
And if that is not possible, then NSC please stop the funding for atheletics, shut down the office and MAAU go fund yourselves and show NSC that you are capable of running the show without the handouts.
Until such time, please shut the _ _ _ _ up.
The Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU) President Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim on Friday denied a news report that the union is facing problems as recently reported by a local newspaper.
"There is no problem in MAAU and everything is in order and I wish to caution all athletes and officials and other parties not to give negative reports which are damaging to the MAAU and the interests of the sponsors," said Shahidan in a statement.
Shahidan in his statement also referred to the report published by Harian Metro yesterday in which it pointed there were no staff in the office when they arrived at the MAAU office and said it was incorrect.
"I wish to remind the people behind the scenes to stop damaging the image of MAAU. For the record, our office hours are from 9am to 5pm. There are staff during this period which MAAU can substantially prove," he said.
On the athletes' performance at the Laos SEA Games, he noted that although the athletes did not meet the medal target they managed to set new national and SEA Games records.
At the 25th SEA Games, the MAAU athletes won six gold, six silver and four bronze medals.
"Though the eight gold medal target was not achieved, the athletes broke national and SEA Games records. In this context, we have had a moral achievement in the Laos SEA Games," said Shahidan.
In his statement, Shahidan also suggested that the National Sports Council (NSC) increase the amount of incentive money for SEA Games gold medalists from RM5,000 to RM20,000.
"The other countries are giving far more than Malaysia. Indonesia offers US$20,000, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore offer US$10,000 and even a small country like Laos offers US$1,800," he said.
