KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — The Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) today submitted an application to rejoin the International Sepaktakraw Federation (Istaf) and the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (Astaf) as an affiliate member.
Its president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan said the move was taken in line with the direction of the governing body to gain recognition at the international level, in addition to helping to resolve the crisis affecting the country’s sepak takraw sport.
The application letter was handed over by Mohd Sumali to Astaf president Datuk Abdul Halim Kader, who is also the Secretary-General of Istaf.
“I hope that Istaf and Astaf will accept PSM as an affiliate, if possible without conditions so that we can sit together and solve many things,” he told a press conference here.
The application was sent by PSM in less than 24 hours after the Malaysia Sepaktakraw Federation (Mastaf) disbanded the parent body yesterday.
Commenting on whether the four state governing bodies that were previously under Mastaf, namely Selangor, the Federal Territory of Labuan, Putrajaya and Sarawak, will join PSM, Mohd Sumali said no applications have been made for now, but PSM was open to accepting their participation.
“I hope this matter can be resolved soon, indeed I would be very grateful if the four state governing bodies are included in PSM so that the 14 states are all in PSM,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Halim described the dissolution of Mastaf yesterday as a timely move.
“However, the (dissolution) application must be made and submitted to the Sports Commissioner (PJS) officially and in accordance with the rules,” he said.
Malaysian sepak takraw has been plagued with issues after Astaf dropped PSM as an affiliate in May 2021 following the actions of the then-president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail, who sent a letter to the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Council (IOC) in his capacity of Astaf deputy president on February 24 that year.
Mastaf, on the other hand, was the legal governing body of sepak takraw in the country after being recognised as a new member of Astaf last March and was also accepted as an affiliate member of Istaf in April, before being dissolved effective yesterday.
— Bernama
