KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — The International Sepaktakraw Federation (Istaf) today confirmed receiving a letter cancelling the registration of Malaysian Sepakthkraw Federation (Mastaf) as Malaysia’s governing body for the sport of sepaktakraw.
Its secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Kader said Istaf would review the letter issued on January 31 with the sports commissioner and the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS).
“Mastaf secretary-general Noor Azam Samsudin on behalf of president Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman and the Mastaf council also attached a letter from sports commissioner Ibrahim Yusof dated January 31, regarding the cancellation of registration through the dissolution of Mastaf.
“As requested by Istaf and the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (ASTAF), the minutes of the Mastaf extraordinary general meeting dated January 20 regarding its dissolution were also attached,” he said in a statement issued by Istaf today.
Abdul Halim recommended that Istaf president Gen Charouck Arirrachakaran accept Mastaf’s application to withdraw as Istaf and Astaf associate members immediately.
Mastaf had announced its dissolution effective December 20, but it had not been in accordance with its constitution, as it must be decided in a specific general meeting, with written meeting minutes showing that the dissolution was approved by two-thirds of its affiliate members eligible for voting, as well as having informed the sports commissioner.
The sepaktakraw dispute started when Astaf dropped Persatuan Sepaktakraw Malaysia (PSM) in May 2021 after its then president Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail sent a letter to the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Council in his capacity of Astaf vice-president on February 24, 2021.
Mastaf then became the legal sepaktakraw national governing body after being acknowledged as a new Astaf member in march and accepted as an Istaf affiliate member in April, but it decided to dissolve itself in December.
— Bernama
