JOHOR BAHRU ─ The Johor Sepak Takraw Association (PSJ) have followed in the footsteps of Gabungan Sepak Takraw Kelantan (Gastak) and pulled out from the Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM), as of yesterday.
PSJ president Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman said that following the decision, he has also relinquished his post as vice-president 1 of PSM.
He said the action was taken because he and the 18 PSJ committee members had lost faith in the leadership of PSM following the crisis between PSM and the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF), which resulted in PSM president Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail being handed a 15-year ban on May 5.
“This crisis will take a long time (to resolve) and raises a lot of questions regarding the development of PSM.
“As vice-president, I asked that the acting PSM president hold a meeting to discuss its direction and appeal to ASTAF not to suspend the national governing body but, until now, no action has been taken,” he told a media conference at the PSJ office here today.
Abdul Halim said he did not want to see Ahmad’s suspension affect PSJ’s activities, including not being able to hold any friendly matches with foreign teams like Thailand.
“My priority is to ensure the development of Johor sepak takraw,” he said.
Yesterday, Gastak announced its withdrawal from the PSM following a 15-year ban imposed on Ahmad by ASTAF.
Ahmad was also made to reimburse ASTAF US$25,000 (about RM102,900) to cover the cost of convening the entire disciplinary panel.
Ahmad is said to have violated several ASTAF by-laws as well as several articles in the Constitution of the Asian governing body. ─ BERNAMA, 11 May 2021
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