Abu Samah gets full backing to lead MNCF
Bernama
Jun 4, 2022 10:23 MYT
Jun 4, 2022 10:23 MYT
Despite being embroiled in a court case, Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab still has the confidence of all council members to lead the MNCF. - BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR: Despite being embroiled in a court case, Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab still has the confidence of all council members to lead MNCF.
MNCF vice-president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill said the MNCF Council meeting yesterday saw its 16 members pass a unanimous vote in full support of the leadership of Abu Samah, who has been president since Feb 26, 1990.
Amarjit explained that he submitted a motion of confidence in Abu Samah and was supported by MNCF deputy president Yunus Ibrahim and council member from Kedah, Zaim Ahmad, to ensure that the leadership of the association was not disrupted by the court case.
"The decision ended with all council members unanimously supporting Datuk Abu Samah to continue with his duties as president until the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) trial is over.
"We fully support and respect Datuk Abu Samah who has done so much for MNCF since 1990. So, let the court process run and we also want to see the witnesses who will be called to the stand during the trial," he said in a statement issued by MNCF.
Amarjit added that almost all MNCF executive council members had been called by MACC to provide statements in the investigation into the issue since 2020.
In the meantime, Yunus said MNCF needed Abu Samah's leadership as they would be organising several big tournaments including the 2022 Asian BMX Cycling Championship in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
"This tournament will be held this August and Datuk Abu Samah is also the honorary vice-president of ACC. So it would be good if we let all these tournaments run smoothly without any issues," he said.
Abu Samah, who is also the president of the ASEAN Cycling Association (ACA), pleaded not guilty at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court in Melaka yesterday, to two charges of abusing his post.
Abu Samah, 81, has been charged with using his position as MNCF president to solicit bribes when he picked a company co-owned by himself and his children, namely Syarikat Harapan Baiduri Sdn Bhd, to provide rental of logistics vehicles at RM12,750 through 13 payment vouchers from 2013 to 2018.
Abu Samah has also been charged with the same offence involving a company co-owned by himself and his siblings, namely Syarikat Keluarga Haji Wahab Hassan Sdn Bhd to provide homestay rental for cycling athletes with a fee of RM36,061.85 through 32 payment vouchers from 2013 to 2018.
He is accused of committing both offences at the MNCF office in Melaka Tengah between 2013 and 2019.
-- BERNAMA