Benedict Asmat
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Football Association (Safa) have moved to amend several of its constitution at the association Annual Congress here last Saturday.
The amendments involved nine articles in the association’s constitution and have been agreed by representatives of all the present Safa district associations.
Among the notable change was to Article 22 (4) which allows for the executive committee, the secretary general and the treasurer to participate in the congress and have the right to vote.
Benedict (second left) with Safa Deputy President Datuk Rahman Zakaria during the Safa Annual Congress last Saturday.
In addition, votes by the executive committee, secretary general and treasurer shall be deemed to be votes by members present and eligible to vote.
Secretary general of Safa, Benedict Asmat, said the previously the aforementioned were not eligible to vote even if they were present during the congress.
He said, while in office, the committee members too cannot be appointed as representatives for any member.
“All the amendments were refined to keep up with times and in line with the latest and current developments,” he said in a statement to the press today.
“The association’s lawyers also gave their views and advice on the constitutional amendment and thanked all the affiliates representatives for approving during the association annual congress at the Public Works Department (JKR) Hall last Saturday,” he added.
The Safa Annual Congress was supposed to be held last year but had to be delayed and postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Benedict said once approved by the Sports Commissioner, the amendments in the constitution can be adopted in Safa Congress-cum-election next year.
Safa have 26 existing district affiliates but three of them have been suspended after failing to submit their annual report to the Sports Commissioner.
“Safa hoped that the inactive district affiliates involved would make the efforts to revive the district associations and to return actively for the betterment of the sport,” he said.
For the record, Benedict served as Safa vice president before stepping down to make way for his new appointment as secretary general right after Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin was given the mandate by the Supreme Council Members to be the acting president at the end of last year.