Alcohol ban: MB should give power back to golf club members

About 15 years ago, former Olympian and retired director of sports in the National Sports Council the late Ho Koh Chye, chaired the organising committee of the ex-internationals golf tournament.

At the final meeting, he said something along these lines: “We are having a royalty playing in the tournament and give away prizes over lunch. Please be in our best behaviour. No beer. No pranks, no jokes.”

Palace courtiers, he told the committee, had directed that all golfers be attired in long-sleeved batik shirts for the lunch and that no alcoholic drinks should be served.

That protocol was observed until the man himself entered the hall. Looking bewildered more than surprised, the royal figure remarked to Ho: “Apa? Main golf ta’ada beer kah?” (What? No beer after golf?)

Ho politely told the Tuanku about the directive from his aides to which the latter replied: “This is not a palace function. We are here to play golf and enjoy. Don’t worry about the directive. I want all golfers to enjoy themselves.”

A few years later, the National Press Club organised a golf competition. Similarly, it was decreed that since the then deputy prime minister Najib Razak was guest of honour, no beer would be served at the prize presentation ceremony.

I protested and said I would buy my beer at the bar and bring it up to the hall. I remember my former colleague Lazarus Rokk, a member of the organising committee retorting and chiding me: “You are always a trouble maker.”

I made that decision because I had seen Najib at various golf clubs having his fruit juice after the game. Najib usually acknowledged golfers in adjacent tables who had no qualms of enjoying their pint of the amber nectar.

I was then sure Najib would not have objected or commented because he had never prevented golfers from partaking the after-golf rituals. Usually, it is minor aides and minions who want to (wrongly) assert their authority to be guardians of third party rights.

Two years ago, about 100 members of a golf club in Selangor with a membership of 4,000 demanded that the sale of liquor be banned in the terrace where food is served. They even petitioned the local council demanding that the liquor licence be revoked.

Fortunately, a showdown was avoided because good sense prevailed. The views of the majority were respected and each has been given their respective domains to do what they want.

Most clubs are exempt from liquor licence for the simple fact that they do not fall into the category of a “public house” where all and sundry can patronise. Clubs are restricted to members and their guests and all bills are signed and there are no cash transactions. No non-member can walk in, order his beer and pay for it in cash. In short, the privilege is restricted to members and his or her guests.

Why all this history? The on-going spat between the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun and members of the Seremban International Golf Club (SIGC) has re-ignited this debate about politicians and their roles in sports clubs and organisations.

SIGC members have called for an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday to discuss the ban on liquor sales. Aminuddin, by virtue of being the MB, is also the club’s president and has waded into the controversy. He has threatened to quit as president if it fails to prioritise local sensitivities.

Initially, he defended his decision by saying: “The club was surrounded by mosques and housing estates where the majority of the residents were Muslims. Thus, it is not right for it to be selling alcoholic drinks there.”

However, yesterday he denied personally ordering a ban on the sale of alcohol saying that the decision was made collectively by the SIGC committee. 

Typical finger-pointing

According to Sin Chew Daily, Aminuddin said that the matter was discussed in the SIGC committee twice and the committee members had agreed that alcohol should not be sold. Wouldn’t the committee of which he is chairperson acted ultra vires the constitution?

Provisions in the club’s constitution allow it to buy, acquire, supply, sell and deal in all consumer goods, including golf and other sports equipment, liquor, food and refreshments as required by members. So, any attempt to ban or prevent the sale of liquor would be unlawful unless of course, the members, by majority decide to amend the clause.

Therefore, the typical finger-pointing has started - replacing the “I was misquoted” bogeyman. Whatever it is, he is chairperson and the rationale is absolute bunkum – hogwash and gibberish.

The clubhouse is situated inside the golf course – far away from the housing estates and even from traffic. What kind of logic is that?

The clubhouse is situated in one corner of the 50-hectare golf course, and the nearest house is 2km away. Off-hand, I can name at least five outlets serving beer which are closer to Aminuddin’s office in Seremban.

Go to smaller towns in his state like Port Dickson or Nilai and Aminuddin would discover that no one has ever complained of “sensitivity” or the lack of it and outlets selling liquor co-exist without any problems.

Aminuddin cannot be removed or replaced because the club’s constitution had been previously amended to make the MB the president with the power to appoint the secretary and the treasurer.

In short, the three tops posts are occupied by appointees rather than elected by the members. So, can they impose a diktat on members which is in breach of the constitution?

SIGC is not the only golf club caught in this conundrum. The Royal Perak Gold Club is in a similar situation with government officials at the helm. But there has been a compromise – beer can be consumed in one part of the club without annoying or bothering those pious ones or those who choose to be teetotal.

What is the solution to all this brouhaha and other ills afflicting clubs and organisations? Members’ interests take a back seat in such set-ups because of political expediency.

The MB wants to be the president of the state football team because he gets him five-minute of fame on television when the team wins although he may not even understand the off-side rule.

I once asked the deputy president of a reputed association if he knew that in cricket, you don’t head or kick the ball!

The solution to all these issues is to return power to the members. Like in any democratic principles, the majority will decide what is good for the club and its members. It should not have ill-informed and misinformed politicians to rule clubs with an iron fist.

Aminuddin, please quit as you have threatened. Before that, help amend the constitution to give power back to the members. That’s the least you can do after exhibiting your ignorance and obliviousness to all things golf.

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R NADESWARAN until a year ago played golf and enjoyed the fellowship thereafter. He understands the plight of golfers whose 19th hole exploits are more important than the preceding 18. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com - Mkini