KUALA LUMPUR: Should full-time presidents be paid to lead national sports associations (NSAs) in Malaysia?
Many people thought this was on a voluntary basis until a poison pen letter, alleging corruption and abuse of power against the FA of Malaysia (FAM), surfaced.
Among its claims was that FAM president, Datuk Hamidin Amin, receives a monthly salary of RM90,000.
So, who is paying his salary? Are funds from sponsorships and allocations from agencies, including the government, for football being used to pay the salary of the FAM president?
It is definitely a problem if the association's funds are being used for this.
It should not be a practice when the Malaysian football ecosystem is in need of more money to sustain and develop players.
A president of an association is not only in the hot seat to administer and plan programmes but also to bring in sponsorships to strengthen and improve the national teams and also the grassroots level.
Hamidin did not deny that he receives a salary, but said at a FAM Congress a few days ago his position came with certain benefits as agreed upon before he became president.
Granted that it is his "rezeki" to earn a huge salary, but when things are not going well in Malaysian football, especially with the never-ending salary issues, people will inevitably talk about this.
Of course, fingers are being pointed at the Malaysian Football League for not eradicating the problems of unpaid salaries.
However, at the end of the day, this reflects poorly on the national association, which is FAM.
As FAM's independent integrity committee investigates the poison pen letter, it should not be treated as an internal affair.
Since the national body receives funding from the government, taxpayers have the right to know where and how their money is being spent, even in regard to the president's salary.
On a separate matter, it is of paramount importance that the findings of FAM's integrity committee are made public to ensure accountability, particularly when it comes to public funds.
FAM must show that it is clean from all unhealthy elements as this is important to attract new sponsors.
"Surat sokongan" from state FAs to FAM declaring their loyalty and confidence in the national body following the poison pen letter is not enough.
Everything should be laid bare for the public to evaluate.
Football can certainly do a lot with a monthly fund of RM90,000.
It could be used to send Malaysia's rising stars for attachments with clubs in Japan or South Korea or set up more FAM-training centres, among others.
It is best for FAM to have someone with no intention of receiving a salary to govern Malaysian football.
In turn, this money can be used for other initiatives for the betterment of the sport here.
As a developing sporting nation, Malaysia generally shouldn't have salaried executive committee members in NSAs.
Malaysian sports are still developing, and the country's athletes need more support, especially in funding, to develop into world-beaters.
If an NSA is self-sufficient, nobody will question whether its exco members are getting salaries.
However, it becomes a problem if the association still depends on government funds to sustain its initiatives.
* Ajitpal Singh is the Sports Editor of NST