Lim to lead provisional FAS council
Lawyer heads provisional FAS council, whose priority is next year's S.League
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) provisional council was appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) yesterday, tasked to ensure a smooth transition until the election of the FAS leadership next year.
The council's five-month term starts from today to March 31 next year, a possible sign that the election, which has to be completed by next May, will be held in four months' time.
The provisional council's biggest task is to ensure the 2017 Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League goes on despite question marks over its funding.
On the advice of Sport Singapore (SportSG), the MCCY replaced outgoing FAS president Zainudin Nordin with vice-president Lim Kia Tong.
Lim will be supported by three vice-presidents, a treasurer and two council members, all of whom had sat on the previous council.
This comes after the revised constitution was unanimously approved by 38 FAS members at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Nov 7. Eight member affiliates did not turn up.
HISTORY
The move paves the way for the local football fraternity to elect their own leaders for the first time in over 30 years.
Previously, the committee was appointed by the Government.
Lim, who is in Papua New Guinea as head of the Fifa disciplinary committee for the Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup, said: "I am honoured to be selected to lead the provisional council in the interim period, and we will work to ensure that all ongoing plans and programmes of the FAS will continue during this period.
"The council will be establishing communication channels to form an open eco-system of discussion that will include not only the key stakeholders, but also its ordinary members and the general public."
Lim added that the future of the S.League is the first key issue the provisional council will look into.
Tampines Rovers chairman Krishna Ramachandra welcomed the familiar look of the provisional council, and he believes it will only add stability to a football fraternity poised for evolution.
"This council is not new to the business, and I welcome the continuity. Football is at a critical juncture and we need stability," he told The New Paper last night.
"I'm happy with what looks like the existing team to go ahead because they're better equipped to handle the concerns of the stakeholders, especially with the experience that they've had in the last few months, with all the issues that have been raised.
The 45-year-old lawyer, who has been firming up his squad for next year's S.League, believes the local competition is clearly the council's biggest task.
He said: "Personally, I have not been told anything about how the league will look like, but I understand that with the new council in place, (the league) will be a continuation of what's been done in the past."
Another laywer, Alfred Dodwell, who had announced his candidature for the FAS election, hoped the provisional council would not utilise FAS resources, should it be planning to run for election.
ELECTION
Lim had already revealed that he is "seriously considering" putting together a team to lead the FAS into the future.
"The new provisional council is all about removing Zainudin and playing musical chairs. It's just the same old council in new sheep's clothing," said Dodwell.
"I want this team to pledge they will not seek to implement any policies as their role is purely caretaker until the new council is duly and democratically elected.
"I renew my call that if they are standing for elections, they cannot and must not use FAS resources to run their campaign."
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