KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 ― The new president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria is confident of shouldering two top posts simultaneously and will not be relinquishing his post as president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

Mohamad Norza who won uncontested the OCM president post for the 2018-2021 term would replace Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar who decided not to defend the post he had been holding for almost 20 years.

"I will not be giving up the post in BAM because if we look at the direction of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, badminton is very important to the national contingent. I hope with my leadership in BAM and OCM, I will know the inside of running badminton better.  

"If we look at the history of OCM presidents, Tunku Imran was leading OCM when he was the Malaysian Cricket Association president for 10 years. So for the time being, I feel it is still manageable,” he said after the OCM leadership election at its 37th annual general meeting in Wisma OCM today.

Commenting on the new leadership of OCM, Mohamad Norza said he was proud with the trust shown by sports delegates to two women leaders, Datuk Mumtaz Jaffar and Datuk S. Shamala who were chosen as vice-presidents.

He said before this OCM had set the quota of at least one women leader for the post but this election proved women leaders were recognised in national sports.

Mohamad  Norza who is the fifth OCM president, also thanked Tunku Imran and Datuk Sieh Kok Chi for their services in raising the name of OCM at international level.

The post of OCM deputy president went to National Sports Institute (NSI) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi who won with 54 votes compared to his challenger Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin with 43 votes.

The five vice-presidents are Datuk Mumtaz Jaffar, Datuk Ong Poh Eng, Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad, V. Mahinda and Datuk S. Shamala.    

OCM secretary-general incumbent, Datuk Low Beng Choo was pipped by just one vote by Datuk Nazifuddin Mohd Najib as the new secretary-general after garnering 49 votes compared to 48 for Beng Choo.

Nazifuddin will be assisted by two assistant secretary-generals namely Chan Foong Keong and Moira Tan Siew See while Ahmad Feisal Ahmad Tajuddin was voted as treasurer with Datuk Amarjit Singh as his assistant. ― Bernama