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.