Swap between NSC, Sports Commissioner sparks cold storage concerns
KUALA LUMPUR: Is the Sports Commissioner’s Office (SCO) being treated as an empowered regulatory watchdog, or has it deteriorated into a bureaucratic “cold storage” and temporary transit lounge for shunted officials?
Malaysia's Sports Commissioner Office (SCO) faces scrutiny over its effectiveness as a regulatory body, with sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli suggesting it has become a "cold storage" for shuffled officials. This comes after the Youth and Sports Ministry announced a senior leadership restructuring, swapping National Sports Council director-general Jefri Ngadirin and Sports Commissioner Arrifin Ghani.
Jefri will now lead the SCO, while Arrifin takes over as NSC director-general - a move Pekan argues raises concerns about SCO's authority to tackle integrity and governance issues. The analyst warns that the office's revolving door of commissioners, coupled with local authorities' reluctance to enforce SCO's mandate due to international federation sanctions fears, has left the SCO "toothless" in addressing corruption in National Sports Associations.
Pekan calls for a strong, respected leader to be appointed to SCO to restore its credibility and enforce discipline within the sporting ecosystem.
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