PETALING JAYA, March 21 — Athletes and sports officials were shocked and angry over how a ranking Youth and Sports Ministry official had misappropriated RM100 million of the ministry's funds since 2010 without raising any red flags.
Mohd Hariff Saleh of Terengganu Cycling Team was fuming upon reading the arrest of the 56-year-old suspect in the news yesterday. Also seized from the official were RM20 million worth of items including 12 vehicles, 40 designer handbags, expensive watches and fine jewellery. His 69 bank accounts which contain RM8.33 million were also frozen.
“This should not have happened. The money could have been channelled to the athletes and the associations instead of buying luxurious handbags or jewellery,” Hariff said.
“The money belongs to the people, to Malaysian youths and sports. Events are being cancelled because of lack of funds but apparently, money was being pocketed by corrupt people.”
He said civil servants should realise they were there to assist athletes and not take advantage of them.
“I hope the ministry would be more transparent and introduce tighter regulations on financial matters. Every sen counts,” he said.
National bowler Alex Liew said the ministry should take this matter seriously.
“I am shocked. I hope the ministry will handle this matter pro-actively,” said Liew, who bagged two gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
National badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei was also left speechless.
“I just don't know what to say ... I'm shocked. Let's wait for the authorities to wrap up their investigations,” he said.
A disappointed National Archery Association of Malaysia president Yazid Yahya urged the ministry to be more transparent.
“We have heard of such things in the past and thought we had learnt from it, but it looks like we haven't,” he said.
“It is always difficult for us to ask funds and there is always red-tape involved. We went to an Olympic qualifying event in Turkey last year and only received our allocation from the ministry 10 days before the event. Now, we are being told RM100 million had been siphoned. It is frustrating.”
Malaysian Gymnastics Federation secretary N. Shanmugarajah said funds within the ministry should be controlled.
“All expenditure must be approved and strictly monitored. We must be transparent in our dealings,” he said.
“We trusted certain people and this is what happened. Now, the whole world knows about it and it is bad.”
Sportswriters Association of Malaysia president Ahmad Khawari Isa questioned how the official misappropriated the funds over six years without being noticed.
“We're shocked with the development. We believe the ministry conducts its dealing above board but this shows something is clearly lacking within its system,” he said.
“We would like the ministry to reassure us that all funds, especially concerning athletes, are managed in a transparent manner.”
