It's no walk in the park whoever sits on one of the hottest seats in Malaysian sports, the director-general of National Sports Council (NSC). The post comes with great responsibilities, ranging from devising the strategies and training programmes to win medals in multi-sports events to overseeing the welfare of the elite athletes. Naturally NSC comes under the microscope often.
Like any statutory body established under Federal laws, NSC is empowered to invest and purchase properties. By now, the chalets must be worth more than RM1 million.
The issue here is:
1. Proper procedure was not adhered to;
2. Why was it kept under wraps from 2005?
Despite the reprimand handed to Datuk Zolkples Embong, the Management Board chaired by Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek have approved the purchase recently.
PUTRAJAYA: The National Sports Council (NSC) has been given 21 days to report to the disciplinary board over the purchase of two premier seasidechalets worth RM850,000 in 2004.
The Sports Ministry gave the NSC officials, involved in the now infamous 'chalet episode', three weeks to submit their report.
Sports Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Yasin Salleh, who also chairs the disciplinary board, confirmed the letters have been sent to individuals involved and is now awaiting their response within the given time frame. Yasin declined to reveal contents of the show cause letter.
Among those who received copies of the letter is current NSC directorgeneral Datuk Zolkples Embong.
"I suppose it's not appropriate to discuss details of the letter right now. The letters have gone out and they have also been given enough time to appeal.
"Let’s wait for their response. We should have something to say in a couple weeks time."
The Malay Mail, in its report "NSC in the soup — again!" on Feb 4, revealed that the council was ticked-off by the Auditor-General for purchasing two luxury units of the Legend Water Chalets in Port Dickson.
The chalets, installed with jacuzzi and see-through floor panels with a view of the sea, resembles more of a honeymoon suite. Its purchase was not in compliance with Government Contracts Act 1949 (revised 1979) and the NSC Act 1971.
Then director-general Datuk Wira Mazlan Ahmad had "verbally instructed" his officials, including Zolkples, to buy the property for use by the NSC community and for investment purposes.
For the record, the chalets have not been used since its completion in 2006 and were kept in the dark until recently.
Meanwhile, Yasin revealed that there has been little news on the status of the Champions Youth Cup (CYC) fiasco.
"The matter is still at the Attorney General’s office table. We’ve not heard anything new about it."
The CYC, with staging rights of RM17 million per year, was first held in 2007 amidst much controversy. It was scrapped the following year after the FA of Malaysia objected to the sanctioning of the tournament, forcing the organisers, Gifted Group Limited, to file a case against the Sports Ministry.
5 comments:
Two wrongs doesn't make it a correct decision and neither 1 right doesn't make it any better. How can u approved something that is being reprimand at? It makes no sense. Do u condone wrongdoings & left it unpunished? Or do u take action and hand out punishment?
Pls dont practice double standards. It's bad already with a former Sports Minister and hopefully the present doesnt becomes the same.
I thought you have more class than simply cut and paste stories from your old newspaper. but the paper has contradicted themselves. earlier report in jaiho zolkples was quoted Zolkples was summoned to face the disciplinary board, chaired by the Sports Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Yasin Salleh, last year.
“I presented the matter to the board last year (August) and they were receptive to the idea. I’ve replied to (Sports Ministry secretary general) Yasin’s letter explaining the whole transaction. I’ve also explained to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission."
When pressed if the chalets will ever be used, Zolkples said: “I’m just waiting for the clearance from the ministry and hopefully once everything is sorted out, we will be able to use the chalets.”
“In fact, I’ve yet to step into the chalets,” Zolkples added.
The council was also ticked off for hiring a consulting architect firm which was already de-registered by the Architect’s Board of Malaysia and the delay in the upgrading works for the Gymnasium 3 training centre in Bukit Jalil, national sailing training centre in Langkawi, athletes’ training centre in Gua Musang, the Community Sports Complex in Kepala Batas and the Saujana Asahan Complex in Malacca.
so this is just old story being recycled.
"recycled paper"
There will be only ‘slap on the wrist or swept under the carpet’ believe me. After all this is Malaysia ma….1Malaysia or to be precise..
U are right Mr. Recyle Paper. Old story recycle to justify the award winning sport journalist doing his job. Unfortunately he is not telling the truth!
The audit report was publish last year and Malay Mail cannot claim that they broke the story.
Mr award winning jurnalist...u kena attack terok lah kali ini....but these comments i think more personal...not commenting on issue on hand....A H
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