Taekwondo Malaysia mulls disciplinary action against TNS

KUALA LUMPUR: Taekwondo Malaysia is mulling to take action against one of its affiliate, Taekwondo Negeri Selangor (TNS) for tarnishing the national taekwondo governing body’s image with various allegations.

TM acting secretary-general R. Dhanaraj said, an executive board meeting would be called soon to discuss the matter and identify which aspect of TM’s constitution that TNS has infringed.

“If the board agrees for action, we will forward this to the disciplinary committee, which is an independent body that consists of representatives from the police, Ministry of Education as well as lawyers.

“We have a clause in our constitution that if you bring TM to dispute, then we can take action against an individual or organisation. They have tarnished the image of taekwondo in the country by bringing the matter to the media,” he told reporters when met at the 10th National Taekwondo Championship at the Wisma OCM yesterday.

TNS in December had accused TM of preventing the state body from attending TM’s annual general meeting (AGM) cum elections and took away its voting right.

Recently on Thursday, TNS president Dr T. Arasu alleged TM banned 52 Selangor exponents from the two day national meet beginning today, and defined the act as “hindering sports development and a gross violation of the 1997 Sports Development Act.”

Dhanaraj, who is also the TM’s technical committee chairman, said exponents from the state is not allowed to participate under Selangor’s banner, because two parties sent registration forms to the parent body, both using TNS’ letterhead.

First one from the new office bearers under Arasu consisting the 52 exponents, while the second came from the previous office bearers under former president C.K. Karan.

“The main problem here is their internal conflict. The Sports Commissioner’s Office (SCO) has advised them to reconvene their AGM but both parties do not want to settle it down.

“So we have asked the athletes to compete under the premier clubs and have given them the list of the clubs that agreed to accept the athletes. But TNS did not register them, so we automatically registered them under the premier clubs and leave it to the athletes whether they want to participate or not.

“Some have turned up today for the poomsae (pattern) event. The actual number of athletes from Selangor will be known tomorrow when the kyorugi (sparring) starts. The disciplinary committee will also interview some of the athletes from Selangor to find out if TNS threatened them not to participate,” he said.

SCO last year had advised TNS to reconvene its AGM after receiving complaints that nine premier clubs registered under Selangor were not given voting rights, but four other clubs under the state were given the right.

During the AGM last May, then deputy-president Arasu defeated his president Karan to helm the office.

Meanwhile, Karan, who held the TNS president’s post for almost 30 years, said he would conduct a TNS AGM on March 20 and has already sent out 45day notices to the stakeholders.

“When I went to SCO, they said I am the president when this happened, so I should be the one to conduct the AGM again. I have already sent out all the invitations which I signed off as the ‘2016-2018 term’ president.

“So, let’s see how many (affiliates) come. If the majority say they want to be with them (Arasu’s camp), then it is okay. What is important is that we do the AGM properly and continue the development of the sport in the state,” he said. - Bernama