KL Games organizer rebuts criticism by federal ministers
KL Games organizer rebuts criticism by federal ministers
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The organizing committee of the 1998
Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in remarks published yesterday
rebutted criticism by federal ministers after the shock
resignation of its chairman.
In a statement, SUKOM Ninety Eight Bhd. said it had been
actively promoting the games at various international conferences
but was restricted by the budget for domestic publicity.
"We are not a profit-making company. We have a balanced budget
of 304 million ringgit (US$121.6 million) based on revenue of 310
million ringgit," the organizers said in a statement published in
The Star daily.
"We are guided by the minister's reminder that the government
will not underwrite cost overruns by SUKOM," the statement said.
SUKOM executive chairman Hashim Mohamad Ali resigned Monday
after criticism from two senior ministers recently for lack of
publicity for the games and the "high salaries" of "gallivanting"
SUKOM officials.
Hashim, brother-in-law of prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and
a former chief of the armed forces, said such accusations had
affected the morale of his staff and questioned his loyalty to
the country.
Meanwhile, SUKOM's chief operating officer Abdul Manap Ibrahim
was reported saying he would quit if the government accepted
Hashim's resignation.
"Hashim picked me as his No. 2 and my loyalty is with him. If
a new man takes over, I'm sure he would want to hand-pick his No.
2 as well," Manap told The Sun newspaper.
Manap warned that Hashim's resignation would create a chain
reaction as other managers planned to resign along with Hashim.
Malaysia is the first Asian host of the Commonwealth Games in
its 68-year history. Six thousand athletes and 1,500 technical
officials are expected to take part in 15 events from Sept. 11 to
Sept. 21. Invitations have been sent to 67 countries.
SUKOM said among plans to promote the games overseas were
campaigns during the Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta this year,
the IAAF World Championships in Athens in August and the Winter
Olympics in Nagano next February.
National carrier Malaysian Airlines had also agreed to paint
the games logo on its fleet of aircraft once its 50th anniversary
celebration ends, with plans for in-flight magazines and
promotional videos, it said.
On the home front, television and radio broadcast would be
stepped up from next month, with documentary films and other
joint-publicity programs to increase awareness among Malaysians.
SUKOM hit back at the culture, arts and tourism ministry,
which it said was supposed to submit by April plans to launch
"Malaysia Fest" locally and internationally but "we have yet to
receive the calendar."
"The KL '98 Games is a national event. We hope and expect
everybody and all agencies to work together (with us at SUKOM) to
make this the best Games ever," SUKOM said.
Hashim, who became SUKOM chief in December 1992 after being
offered the job by Mahathir, said SUKOM was "doing everything
within our means" but was restricted by the publicity budget of a
mere 2.6 million ringgit.
He said certain newspapers appeared to have carried out a
campaign against SUKOM and "written reports which were only
published when the prime minister is out of the country."
"We cannot pay our officials less than what they were getting
before. If you pay peanuts, then you will only get monkeys,"
Hashim said.
He is expected to meet Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Tuesday to discuss his resignation which takes effect next month,
The Star reported.
The two ministers who criticized SUKOM -- Culture, Arts and
Tourism Minister Sabaruddin Chik, and Youth and Sports Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin -- have publicly apologized and urged Hashim to
stay, saying the remarks were made in good faith.