KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — An aide to Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Faizal Azumu today dismissed Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim’s repeated questions over the absence of the women’s diving event at the 20th Malaysian Games (Sukma) as a political stunt.
The aide Mohd Hafez Mubin Mohd Salleh said the ministry has already provided a clarification to the former deputy youth and sports minister.
He added that Sim’s questions after the explanation only demonstrated his failure in understanding the event’s organisation.
“Therefore, Yang Berhormat Steven Sim is advised to stop politicising this issue and give space to Yang Berhormat minister to carry out his duties for the sake of sports development in Malaysia.
“Moreover, Yang Berhormat Steven Sim should not abuse the name of national athletes for his own political interests.
“As the former Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Yang Berhormat should have been more mature with such matters,” Mohd Hafez Mubin said in a statement.
On July 22, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker issued a formal explanation over the absence of the women’s diving event at the Games scheduled from September 16-24.
Ti said due to the technical rule of minimum participation in the Games, any event to be contested at Sukma needs to have the participation of at least eight state contingents.
He said that based on the long list of contingents on May 20, five women’s and men’s diving events were dropped because there were not enough participants.
