Thesun 2009-02-11 Page12 Let The Upcoming By-elections Be Peaceful

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theSun

| WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11 2009

speak up! thesun says

Let the upcoming by-elections be peaceful SOON voters in the parliamentary constituency of Bukit Gantang in Perak and the state constituency of Bukit Selambau in Kedah will be required to go to the ballot boxes again to choose their new representatives. In Bukit Gantang the representative they voted in on March 8 last year died on Monday while in Bukit Selambau their assemblyman resigned his seat on the same day for personal reasons. After the by-elections, probably next month, are over, the country would have had four by-elections, all within a year after the landmark March 8 general election.

Keep smoking hazard ads I SUPPORT the Health Ministry’s graphic anti-smoking ads. Why should “they” (whoever they are) be so upset over pictures of victims. It is the ministry’s obligation to continue with the graphic ads – no more rhetoric and pussy-footing with public sensitivities. Nothing racial, religious, economic, political or gender or age about being cancer victims. Infants and young children are not immune, nor are the young brainless – sick is sick. It was mandatory that graphic images were to be printed on cigarette packs by June last year. The move was postponed to December and then to next month on the flimsiest of excuses. Let not the tobacco companies continue with these delaying tactics at the expense of public health and medical costs. Without strict enforcement, these gruesome images will not work – short-term memory – please hit smokers where they hurt most – in their pockets – and post pictures of smokers blatantly disregarding gazetted non-smoking areas especially politicians, police and health officers – the people who should know better. Enough talk and double standards. D. Yap Via email

Last month the voters of Kuala Terengganu had to choose a new MP to represent them after the one they chose earlier died. The Permatang Pauh by-election in August was the first and it was held because the representative the voters there chose five months earlier decided to resign to make way for her husband who wanted to be MP. While the by-elections in August and January involved voters in only those two constituencies the attention of many people elsewhere was drawn to them. Similarly the upcoming by-elections are going to be closely

monitored by many people elsewhere for whatever indications they can read into them. There is no doubt at all that many things that happened outside Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu influenced the outcomes there. Similarly, many things that happened and are happening outside Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau are going to influence the voters in these two constituencies. Naturally all kinds of spin are going to be given to what is happening in Perak making one side involved in the current state political imbroglio look good and the other side look bad. The

voters will be wooed long before the official campaign period starts. And naturally emotions will run high. It is therefore hoped that the parties involved in the upcoming by-elections and their campaigners will be able to exercise restraint when stumping for their candidates. What is most important, the by-elections should not be marred by ugly and violent incidents caused by unrestrained and emotion charged speeches. It will reflect badly on our conduct during elections and our ability to elect our representatives peacefully. The Kuala Terengganu by-election last month was peace-

Cash blinds sports IT’S A sad but true reflection of sports in Malaysia. When the glitter of gold with the Malaysian flag on the breast pocket is overtaken by brand names in exchange for hard cash, the inevitable has to happen. Yes, money cannot replace pride and passion but it can change the order of priority. There were times when athletes ran for “King and country”, but these days, there are athletes who run to the tune of the Pied Piper. While covering the IAAF meet in Berlin 16 years ago, I vividly remember penning these words: “At the World Athletics meet in Tokyo last month, they ran for the glory. Last night, at the Olympic Stadium, they ran for the money.” Yes. There was and still is plenty of money in made-for-TV athletics meets – the biggest of all is one kilogram of solid gold! Against such a backdrop, it would be foolish to expect every athlete to “Run for the King and country” not to be rewarded financially for his or her efforts. The kind of incentives offered by the government using taxpayers’ money is sufficient evidence that money does a lot of talking. Add to that, the millions in prize

money that are being Despite the rosy picoffered underscore ture painted on the the point. But when viewership, the bitter “mercenaries” detruth no one chose to scend on our shores even imagine is that hoping to “squeeze” RM10 million a year taxpayers’ money to brought about no line their pockets, significant contributhe ball game takes a tion to enhance the different dimension. level of sports. The When millions are list is endless. If we paid to individuup taxpayers’ CitizenNades tote als and companies contributions to by R. Nadeswaran guised as “messiahs” sports over the past who can lift the 10 years, it would standard of sports, have crossed the then we are left with no choice billion ringgit mark. And yet, but to look into past “efforts” to what have we to show except seek justification. for the exploits of Nicol David The Champions Youth Cup and Lee Chong Wei? Soccer is in is a vivid example. After parting the doldrums; hockey is closely with RM17 million as “bidding following suit; after the era of fee” for a tournament which no Rabuan Pit, Marina Chin and one wanted and getting zero Zaiton Othman’s quarter-mile results, we thought fit to pay an relay quartet, there’s nothing to “advance” of RM8 million for the show for except golds at the SEA next edition without examining Games. And rightly, the sports the “benefits” the previous one minister has acknowledged that had brought about. victories in these regional games The dwindling coffers of which have been reduced to the National Sports Council community sports festivals are did not prevent the authorities not worth pursuing. At least try, from signing up for yet another says the minister to be number money-making venture – the one in your game in this region. ESPN Sports Centre Malaysia. And that is why we should

ful and incident-free. Of course we will never know whether it was peaceful and incident-free because we had exercised a lot of restraint voluntarily – as we indeed should – or it was peaceful and incident-free because we were forced to exercise restraint by the large presence of our men in blue bussed into the constituency to ensure orderliness. Let us hope that it was both. But let us also hope that we have matured and that we do not need so many policemen in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau to ensure that the by-elections are peaceful and incident-free.

not let money be the “be-all” factor when it comes to the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon. The attempted hijacking of the race which had been organised by the Federal Territory Amateur Athletic Association (FTAAA) since 1984 with an impeccable record is testimony of the big money game. Along come a couple of foreigners, aided and abetted by a local sports official, and hey presto, the organising of the events changes hands. It’s as simple as that. To add salt to the wound, these foreigners have demanded that the FTAAA withdraw its application for trademark registration which was filed at the office of the Intellectual Property Organisation. How this could happen, if examined carefully, would be yet another tragedy in our sports annals. While some may view the foreign-local partnership as a collaboration, we would like to view it as menderhaka (a term that is being widely used these days) vis-à-vis Malaysian sports. Besides, it raises a basic principle – conflict of interests. Datuk Ibrahim Saad is the vice-president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and has been representing Octagen, the so-called company which is trying to hijack the marathon. The company is said to have signed an agreement with the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU) but no one has sighted the documents although news reports suggest that Octagen has been given the right to organise the marathon for 10 years and in return, they would pay RM500,000 annually to the union. Ibrahim’s position in the OCM becomes untenable because he has been widely quoted as “consultant” of Octagen. If you represent the governing body of sports in the country and take a position as a consultant for a sports promoter, would it not be a conflict of interest? He has to choose between an honorary position in OCM and being a consultant for the company. By the way, checks with the Companies Commission of Malaysia show that Octagen has not been registered as a company or a business in this country. On the other hand, the MAAU executive board has neither seen nor endorsed the agreement with Octagen. It is said that its deputy president Karim Ibrahim signed on behalf of the union. The pertinent question to ask is: Can one man commit the union without consulting the board? If the answer is no, then the contract becomes null and void. If the answer is yes, then the hypothetical analogy would be: He could also sell off the assets (whatever is remaining) without consultation. What is more interesting is that Octagen announced that it would be organising the event without getting the nod from the sports commissioner, a basic requirement. Now that complaints have been lodged and if consent is not given, a few people will have eggs splattered on their faces and the so-called corporate social responsibility exercise by Standard Chartered Bank which has signed up as the title sponsor, would be in tatters. It is a pity that an organisation which practises strict policies on disclosure by its own officers did not run the extra mile when it came to hijacking a historic marathon which had been organised and supported by Malaysians. R. Nadeswaran says sports should be run by sportsmen – not companies which keep looking at the bottom line. He is editor (special and investigative reporting) at theSun. Feedback: [email protected]