Twentytwo13

Time for government to audit monies given to sports, youth bodies

It’s been 76 days since Hannah Yeoh clocked in as Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister.

During that time, the lawyer turned politician has watched a whole lot of football matches and attended sporting events – perhaps more than she has ever done in her 44 years.

What the Segambut MP would have also experienced was the long list of “well-wishers” who had wanted to meet her. This is typical during the early days for any minister, regardless of the portfolio.

Yeoh also quickly learnt from her conversations with the guardians and stakeholders of the various youth bodies and sports organisations, that the overarching theme is the lack of funds. She admitted this during the Malaysian CubPrix’s 30th anniversary celebration at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

In a bid to garner support, youth and sports ministers, and even past prime ministers, had given out funds to these entities. Many of these politicians had also shamelessly jumped on the youth and sports bandwagon to win the hearts of voters.

On Jan 17, 2022, then prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob gave RM10 million to the FA of Malaysia for “national football development.”

He said this after the ground-breaking ceremony of FAM’s new headquarters in Putrajaya.

In 2014, then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (who is currently serving a jail sentence after being convicted in a corruption scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd) also gave RM10 million to the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), labelling it a ‘National Project’.

This was in addition to the millions of ringgit NFDP had already received since its formation in 2014.

Then, there are the ‘incentives’ given out to state football teams and other sports bodies, either following their victories in local competitions, or as a gesture of goodwill to ‘support’ the sport.

The same goes for youth organisations.

So, what happens when the money is given to these organisations? For example, did FAM receive the RM10 million promised to them by Ismail Sabri? If yes, when did the national body receive the money? Since it’s been a year, shouldn’t FAM disclose to the public how the funds were used?

Many seem to ignore the fact that government funding – be it state or federal – is basically taxpayers’ money. As such, those who dole out these monies are answerable to the people.

The august House is the best place for our elected representatives to demand answers and accountability as to how the monies –belonging to the people –were used.

This is in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s ‘Malaysia Madani’ – with accountability and transparency at the core of the concept.

It is in this spirit that the government should start getting independent auditors to audit the monies given out to sports bodies and youth organisations.

Expenditure from the financial assistance received from the government must be audited and made public by placing the reports on the ministry’s and associations’ websites.

This will go a long way in promoting accountability and transparency.

If world and regional bodies audit their member associations regularly, then it is only right for the government to do the same.

This does not constitute as “government interference” – certainly not by FIFA’s and the Asian Football Confederation’s standards at the very least. After all, the money belongs to the people and it is only right for the people to ask how it was spent.

One of the reasons why the good, yet now defunct Rakan Sukan programme failed, was simply because sports administrators were rather hesitant in allowing stakeholders to take a look at their accounts. Investors needed to know how the money was spent, and all the secrecy didn’t help.

This has to change if Malaysian sports administration wants to move forward.

Sports associations and youth bodies must make a case – to the federal or state governments – as to why they deserve financial assistance.

Now that’s something the decision-makers in Menara KBS should be working on.