KUALA LUMPUR: Sports Commissioner Suhardi Alias has cleared the air regarding the legitimacy of Malaysia Rugby's (MR) annual general meeting (AGM)-cum-elections held on Dec 2 last year.
Suhardi said the AGM was legitimate if the majority of representatives from MR's affiliates had agreed to hold the meeting and elections.
"(To be legitimate) the representatives had to agree, via a vote, that the AGM should go on and select a new committee.
"If MR received more than two-thirds' support from the representatives, then the AGM is valid according to the association's constitution.
"The two-thirds' support from the representatives was also needed to allow MR to explain the restrictions that prevented them from reporting certain items during the AGM due to a lack of data.
"This special agenda must be presented in an extraordinary general meeting as soon as possible after the AGM."
MR, when contacted today, confirmed that 34 out of 38 representatives had voted for the AGM-cum-elections to be held on Dec 2.
Sabah Rugby Union (SRU), in a press conference held on Friday, questioned the Dec 2 AGM's legitimacy as audited accounts were not presented during the AGM and also criticised MR's governance of the national body.
MR yesterday disclosed that the Sports Commissioner's Office had given the green light for the AGM to be held without presenting the audited accounts as their accounts were still being investigated by the police due to an embezzlement case from 2022.
They, however, must present the audited accounts once police have concluded their investigation in an extraordinary general meeting.
In December 2022, MR discovered that an administration staff had embezzled a large sum of money, believed to exceed RM1 million, from the national body's accounts with withdrawals stretching back to 2019.
Suhardi urged SRU and MR to avoid conflict and instead work together for the betterment of the sport.
"It would be more beneficial for the sport if both parties worked together and avoided conflict. Other countries have already made great strides in the sport.
"To sum it up, MR and SRU should have an internal discussion to resolve any issues amicably, according to the association's (MR) constitution.
"At the same time, MR should tidy up their financial governance and close up any loopholes to ensure that what happened before (embezzlement) does not reoccur."
SRU had said they would not be competing in any MR-organised tournament, including the Agong's Cup and National Sevens, until MR got their house in order.
They also urged Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to look into the matter.