KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA) disputes its suspension by the Sports Commissioner’s Office (SCO), saying it complied with all requirements set by the regulator and took corrective steps to address governance concerns.
The SCO suspended the national body under the Sports Development Act 1997 on Feb 27, giving the association 30 days to explain why it should not be deregistered.
Sports Commissioner Arrifin Ghani said the action followed unresolved governance issues, including alleged breaches of the association’s constitution.
In response, MPA said it complied with SCO’s directives to proceed with a remedial Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held on Jan 13.
“The Malaysia Pickleball Association has complied fully with all requirements set by the Sports Commissioner’s Office to proceed with the remedial AGM,” said MPA president Delima Ibrahim.
She said the association appreciated the guidance provided by SCO officers throughout the process.
Delima said the elections held during the remedial AGM resulted in the formation of a new executive committee, with representation from five affiliated state members, in line with requirements outlined by the SCO.
Besides Delima, the new executive committee comprises Eric Hoo (deputy president), Amir Farid Abdul Majid and Julitah Akabal (vice presidents), Sean Aziz Abdullah (secretary-general), Datuk Patrick Khoo (treasurer), Khairol Azmi Yussof and Lo Liang Kheng (committee members), and Farrell Choo as founding president. Datuk Sebastian Ting and Dr Kelvn Yii serve as advisors.
Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Rahizam Abdul Rahim (development chairman) and Jenny Ting (disciplinary chairwoman) serve on the subcommittee, while Delima is also the competition chairwoman.
Arrifin earlier told Twentytwo13 the suspension was necessary due to governance issues, including concerns over leadership succession, committee appointments and past AGMs that allegedly did not meet quorum requirements.
He added that while MPA is suspended, it remains the only recognised national body for pickleball.
MPA said the remedial process and newly elected leadership demonstrate its commitment to aligning its governance practices with regulatory expectations. The association is expected to submit its formal explanation to SCO within 30 days.
