THE finger-pointing over who should be held responsible for the deplorable state of the cycling events’ infrastructure at the recent 18th Malaysia Games (Sukma) began yesterday.
The Sarawak Cycling Association (SCA) and the state Public Works Department (PWD) were at loggerheads as each claimed the other should be blamed.
SCA secretary Zulaihi Seri said PWD should be held responsible for the lack of infrastructure at the BMX track.
“The association has (made the recommendations for the infrastructure). We had requested, however, until the very day of the competition, PWD failed to build the infrastructure as requested. It was not the association’s fault,” he said.
Zulaihi said PWD was given the allocation to prepare the infrastructure, as it was the party entrusted with managing it. The role of SCA was only to monitor and it has done its best to do so.
“All safety specifications were fulfilled.”
However, despite these shortcomings, Zulaihi said the association received no complaints on the day of the tournament.
“There were no complaints. In fact, there were states that took pictures to be included in their modules. They wanted to emulate what we did here, of our tracks and paths.
“According to the cycling managers, our tracks are some of the best. There were generally no defects in our infrastructure,” he said.
However, a Sarawak PWD spokesman dismissed Zulaihi’s claims, saying that the department was not involved in the construction at the facility in Bukit Siol.
The spokesman, who declined to be identified, said it was shocking that SCA would blame the department.
“I am puzzled as to why they dragged us into this dispute. The department was not involved in any part of the process (construction of the facility).
“The funding was given directly to the association in the form of grants. The selection of contractors and awarding of contracts were handled by the association.”
Asked if the association had sought the advice or assistance of the department in the construction, the spokesman reiterated that the department had no role in any part of the work.
Malaysian National Cycling Federation president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab insisted yesterday that the BMX track, which had come in for the most criticism, was in mint condition.
“I was the one who certified the usability of the BMX venue. If we are looking at things from the ‘harm’ perspective, the track’s path was okay. There was no problem. People are saying that fences should be placed at the side for spectators, but that infrastructure is not compulsory.”
“The only complaint was about the absence of the gantry on the first day. But the construction of the gantry was not the responsibility of SCA.”
Abu Samah also placed the blame on PWD, which he said was the party that was responsible for the construction of the gantry, a task which it did only on the second day of the event.
The New Straits Times reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the homes of two cycling officials following the fuss raised by the cycling community over what it called the terribly-organised Sukma cycling events.
They claimed the facilities lacked infrastructure and safety aspects, and initially thought this was due to a lack of funding.
However, it was revealed by state government officials that there had been adequate allocation.
NST was told that RM1 million was allocated for cycling events, with at least RM900,000 spent for the road, track and mountain bike events.
MACC officers seized documents from the two officials’ homes.
Sarawak MACC director Datuk Badrul Shah Norman could not be reached yesterday for comment, but it was learnt that no one had been arrested.
Sources said the investigations into the issue were in the early stages and it was yet to be determined if graft was involved.