Skip to main content
Home The New Paper
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contests
  • Games
  • Team
  • Deliver TNP

Popular

  • COURT & CRIME
  • MMA (MIXED MARTIAL ARTS)
Singapore Football

Four of five candidates who failed tests for FAS election to appeal

Four of five candidates who failed tests for FAS election to appeal
Steven Tan (third from far left) with (left to right) Francis Lee, Tan Bong Him (former FAS official) and Ronnie Lee at the Fullerton Bay Hotel's Lantern Rooftop Bar in February, when Hougang United announced their squad and sponsors ahead of the 2017 S.League season. PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVEN TAN

Four of five candidates who failed tests for FAS election will appeal by tomorrow

Shamir Osman
Sports Correspondent
Apr 06, 2017 06:00 am
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • 0 Engagements

Four of their six individual candidates couldn't pass the first hurdle to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) election, after failing eligibility and integrity tests of the FAS Electoral Committee (EC).

Bill Ng's Game Changers, however, do not view the situation as a setback.

Steven Tan, spokesman for the group, told The New Paper that three of the group's candidates will submit appeals by tomorrow, with the Game Changers remaining upbeat about their chances at the April 29 election.

Tan, a former general secretary of the FAS, is part of the team behind Ng's group of candidates who are standing for election.

Their opponents at the election, a team led by former FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong, saw all members pass the tests.

"As a team, we don't take this as a setback. It is a procedural issue and, if something goes wrong, we will just make corrections and keep moving forward," said Tan, who was also involved in drafting plans for the S.League before it was launched in 1996.

Turning attention to youth
Singapore Football

FAS chief pleads for patience as they fix ailing sportailing sport

Nov 17, 2017

Related Stories

Police investigating NFL brawl between Safsa and Yishun Sentek Mariners

S.League foreign player quota could be reduced to three in 2018

Coaches react: Results do matter, as a barometer of progress

"We'll get up and fight on - that's the spirit we have."

Lai Boon Teck, Jeffrey Sim, Suresh Nair are the three members of Ng's team who did not pass muster as the FAS' EC conducted its eligibility and integrity checks.

Their fourth candidate, Moklas Ma'arof, withdrew his candidature.

Independent candidate Kumar Appavoo is the only other individual - unaffiliated to either team standing for election - who did not pass.

Tan was adamant that the reasons behind the Game Changers' candidates failing were purely procedural.

"(Lai and Sim) were hit on a technicality. This is the first time that we are having an election, and it is a little stumble, but there was nothing to suggest any issue of integrity, and I am confident that we will be well heard by the (appeals) committee," said Tan, pointing to the fact that the pair were failed on a technicality - they were nominated by a committee member of a club affiliated to the FAS instead of being put forward by a secretary, vice-chairman or chairman.

"Where Suresh is concerned, the issue raised is with question six (of the Declaration of Integrity Form). The EC asked for clarification on this issue, so naturally they treat it as an ending of approval - not rejection," said Tan.

Question six asks if the individual has participated in football betting organised by Singapore Pools in association with the FAS or S.League, and received any form of dividends arising from such betting.

Suresh is a former journalist and has served as a referees' assessor for the FAS.

"Suresh has consulted the team, and he will be submitting a response to the Committee accordingly," added Tan.

The deadline for submission of appeals is tomorrow, with the FAS elections to be held on April 29 at the Singapore Sports Hub's Black Box.

Unlike the Game Changers' three candidates, Moklas, secretary of National Football League side Kembangan United, will not change his mind on his withdrawal.

"I withdrew because of personal reasons. It's my mistake. I don't blame those who helped me and, to me, it (my candidature) is over," he told TNP.

"Both sides have good teams, and I hope the best team win."

It is understood that Appavoo, a 48-year-old businessman who stood as a candidate for Radin Mas SMC at the 2015 General Election, failed the EC test because of a lack of involvement in football.

"(The EC) needs some more details as to my involvement in football - I'm registered as vice-chairman of (NFL side) Gymkhana FC," said Appavoo, who revealed that he is also a volunteer hockey coach at St Andrew's Junior School for the last four years.

"I will be putting up an appeal to them."

Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now

Football Association of SingaporeelectionSingapore Football

Shamir Osman

Sports Correspondent
shamiro@sph.com.sg
Read articles by Shamir Osman
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • E-mail this article
  • Newslink -  Purchase this article for republication
  • Newsmine -  Purchase this article as keepsake

Top Stories this Month

Cop hit by car is brain dead, to be taken off life support
Singapore

Cop's husband stays strong for their kids

Feb 15, 2019
Owner of Singapore-registered motorbike wanted by Cambodian police
Singapore

Owner of S'pore-registered motorbike wanted in Cambodia

Feb 20, 2019
Dear tank top woman in ATM queue at Somerset , I support you
Lifestyle

S M Ong: Dear tank top woman in ATM queue at Somerset

Feb 18, 2019
Home
  • Contests
  • Games
  • Team
  • Deliver TNP
  • Home
  • News
    • Singapore
    • World
    • Business
    • Views
    • Backstage
    • Others
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Singapore Football
    • Team Singapore
    • School Sports
    • Athletics
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
    • Others
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Star Style
    • School of Frock
  • Lifestyle
    • Makan
    • Hed Chef
    • Weets Eats
    • Health
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Biker Boy
    • Celeb Chow
    • Others
  • Racing
  • Your Tip-Offs
  • Read E-Paper
  • Contact TNP
  • Subscribe to TNP
  • About SPH
  • Privacy Statement
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Member Terms & Conditions
  • Website Terms & Conditions
SPH Digital News Copyright © 2019 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E