Sports commissioner rejects MA’s bid to reshape federal territories athletics

Malaysia Athletics (MA) has faced a setback in its bid to alter the formal language governing the federal territories in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan. The sports commissioner has declined to approve MA's suggested amendment to Clause 7.1(a), which previously utilized the phrase "consist of" when describing the three territories.

MA aimed to replace "consist of" with "combine" in this clause, but the proposal has been dismissed. Sports Commissioner Arriffin Ghani has announced that MA will meet both parties to expedite the affiliation of the Federal Territories Athletics Association (FTAA) with the national body. FTAA president V Pulainthiran expressed his happiness about the decision but noted that they had not received any formal confirmation yet.

The FTAA had raised concerns regarding the proposed change, finding the word "combine" unclear and unnecessary, as well as fearing it could imply a merger of the three affiliated athletics associations. MA will now proceed with the standard constitutional process for its amendments, with the expectation that its executive council will endorse the changes next month or in November.

This development occurs as MA undergoes a broader constitutional review to meet World Athletics requirements. The sports commissioner has given interim approval for MA's other proposed constitutional amendments, which MA must fulfill within three months. However, one by-law concerning the guideline for MA's contractor registration system was rejected by the commissioner, who requested MA to align the other by-laws with World Athletics standards.

This constitutional review follows earlier amendments that allowed former MA president Karim Ibrahim to run for the presidency, prompting World Athletics to order MA to take corrective actions. With this particular amendment now off the table, the focus can return to strengthening the sport and developing athletes across Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.