No graft involved in KBS allocation to sports associations - Ahmad Faizal

KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has found no abuse of allocations provided by the ministry to sports associations.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, sports associations that have been allocated funds, have to meet several stipulated conditions such as the Disclosure of Information Report (MYKB) and whether they are active in the sports they represent.

He said since he led the ministry, any sports association which failed to give the report for three consecutive years would not be entertained for any assistance.

"I am shocked when it was said some sports association 'lost' their financial aid, I think the term is not so accurate. An examination conducted by the Sports Commissioner's Office (PPS) and the National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN) found there was no graft involved in the funds provided to sports associations.

"The information from MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) also said they do not use the term, it may be reported as such. Maybe the official said things that happened before, not what they are going through now," he said after the 2021 Sports Body Star Rating Awards ceremony here, today.

On Sunday, MACC Community Education Division director Datuk Razim Mohd Noor was reported as saying it found corruption in the sports industry in terms of fund management and so on.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Faizal said 99 sports bodies are eligible to receive star rating, while 10,230 sports bodies have yet to meet the basic requirement of MTKB as at Dec 31 2020.

From the total, only five associations at national level namely the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), Wushu Federation of Malaysia (WFM) and the Squash Racket Association of Malaysia are eligible to receive a five-star rating.

"From the total of 99, five per cent were sports bodies at national level, 10 per cent sports bodies at state level, 66 per cent of sport bodies at district level and 19 per cent of sport bodies at club level.

"I am optimistic such evaluation programme can be the benchmark in monitoring the management of sports bodies in Malaysia. Indirectly it could motivate the spirit of sports bodies to improve their governance to be more efficient," he said.

-- BERNAMA