KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 – After getting walloped on all fronts – both local and Asian levels, Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail has resigned as president of the Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) with effect from today after taking responsibility for the current state of affairs in PSM.
It is certainly the right move by the controversial politician from Penang who ruled PSM with arrogance and played politics in the sports body.
Ahmad Ismail has been in the limelight lately for wrong reasons. His resignation is a breath of fresh air for the game in the country.
The journey of wallops began when the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF) slapped Ahmad Ismail with a 15-year ban and fined him USD25,000 after he was found guilty by ASTAF’s disciplinary committee for gross indiscipline during the ASTAF elections for the 2021-2025 term. Malaysia failed to win any seats at the ASTAF elections.
For the record, Ahmad Ismail, popularly known as Tok Mat, led an unsuccessful attempt to replace incumbent ASTAF president Datuk Abdul Halim Kadir.
He later alleged that the ASTAF elections were null and void. Halim Kadir, who is from Singapore, retained his post with a massive 30-0 victory over his challengers. Apart from Ahmad Ismail, the other challenger was Nasri Haron of Singapore.
Subsequently, Malaysia paid a heavy price for Ahmad Ismail’s folly and was booted out of (ASTAF) with effect from May 20.
Ahmad Ismail’s running battle with ASTAF did not go down well with PSM affiliates. Eleven PSM affiliates quit the national sepak takraw body.
Those who quit were Kelantan, Johor, Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu, Negri Sembilan, Putrajaya, Sarawak, Perak, Perlis and Sabah. All claimed to have “lost faith” in Ahmad Ismail’s leadership.
The ASTAF Disciplinary Committee found Ahmad Ismail guilty of breaking the written undertakings to the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF) and ASTAF on March 2008 – “to support ISTAF and ASTAF to establish and maintain efficient administration” of the two Federations.
Instead, Ahmad Ismail breached the undertakings by writing a letter to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) with a copy to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in his capacity as ASTAF deputy president on Feb 2.
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