Sports organisations are identified as public bodies under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, 2009 and are obliged to uphold integrity in their daily activities.
MACC chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki, said there had been cases in the past where sports officials had misused funds meant for the association or athletes, by transferring monies into their own accounts or that of their family members.
He quoted Section 3 of the MACC Act that clearly states that any sports body registered under the Sports Development Act 1997 is considered a public body.
“The abuse of funds belonging to these associations are among the concerns often raised. Funds meant for the development of the sports or the athletes are used for other things,” said Azam.
“Section 3 of the MACC Act clearly states that sports associations are public bodies. And one can be penalised for using one’s office or position for gratification (abuse of power/position) under Section 23 (of the MACC Act).”
He added there were officials who clearly lacked the understanding of the roles they were supposed to play; that they were to always uphold the integrity of the sport they represented.
Azam said this during the Youth and Sports Ministry’s Corruption-Free Pledge at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, this morning.
The session was attended by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, his deputy, Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker, Sports Commissioner Ibrahim Yusof, and officials from the ministry and national sports associations.
Azam, who admitted to having a keen interest in sports since he was young, said the match-fixing scandal in the early 90s that saw scores of footballers and coaches banned or suspended, had tarnished the local football league.
For the record, Azam is also the deputy chairman of the Football Association of Malaysia’s integrity committee.
In 2017, the ministry made a similar pledge. Azam had attended the event, then held at Wisma KBS in Putrajaya.
