ISKANDAR PUTERI, Jan 6 — The Johor Karate Association can now fully concentrate on this year’s Malaysia Games (Sukma) following the formation of a new committee.

This latest development was after the Johor Karate Association’s ad-hoc committee, led by Johor Sports Council director Mohd Gadaffie Abd Aziz, handed the association’s leadership back after had been suspended for more than a year due to membership issues.

Mohd Gadaffie said the ad-hoc committee did their best to look at past issues and agreed (AGM) on May 26 last year to appoint a new committee.

He said it was timely as Johor is now seven months away from Sukma.

"I hope the Johor Karate Association under the new committee will be able to deliver and help Johor in achieving its target of becoming the overall champion for Sukma,” said Mohd Gadaffie.

He said this after a press conference after handing over the Johor Karate Association’s ad-hoc committee to its new chairman Chok Kong Yu in a ceremony at Ramada by Wyndham Meridin Johor Baru here today.

On the current grouses by the association’s previous leadership, Mohd Gadaffie advised those who were not members to register as associate members to voice any unhappiness.

He said those who were unhappy should voice out their frustrations through the proper channels within the association.

The Johor Karate Association was suspended after several associated members did not pay their membership fees during the previous AGM.

The issue arose as those members were able to cast their votes, which is an offence against the association’s constitution.

This led the association being suspended and not being recognised as an official sporting body to represent karate in Malaysia under Section 25 of the Sports Development Act 1957.

The association then made the appeal to the Youth and Sports Minister as the issue could not be resolved and the ministry appointed an ad-hoc committee to sort out the problems.