Settle it among yourselves, feuding rugby bodies told

 

Sports Commissioner Suhardi Alias said if the dispute still cannot be resolved, it can be brought to the sports dispute committee for consideration. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sports Commissioner has advised the Sabah Rugby Union and the national body Malaysia Rugby (MR) to resolve their dispute using internal channels according to the complaint procedures of associations.

The commissioner, Suhardi Alias, said an internal resolution according to the association’s constitution was the best way forward so that the development of rugby at the state level would not be affected.

“If it still cannot be resolved, they can apply to the sports dispute committee for consideration,” he said.

The committee was set up by the youth and sports ministry last July to hear and give views on internal disputes of sports bodies referred to the committee.

Suhardi clarified that MR can hold its annual meeting without tabling its audited financial report to affiliate members if it secures the agreement of more than two-thirds of delegates to proceed with the meeting.

Yesterday, SRU president Velayuthan Tan said the state body had decided to stay away from any activity or competition organised by the national body until it responds to allegations about their accounts and the proceedings of the elections last December.

SRU secretary L Ramesh, on the other hand, also questioned the validity of the annual meeting on Dec 2, saying no audited accounts were tabled before affiliate members of the national body.

In December 2022, MR said it lodged a police report after discovering that a substantial sum of money had been allegedly siphoned from its bank account by an administrative staff member dating back to 2019.

MR has yet to issue a clarification regarding the SRU issue. - FMT