Questions remain over FAS’ $500k donation but Asean Football Federation stays tight-lipped

SINGAPORE – It has been more than a week since it was revealed that local football club Tiong Bahru FC (TBFC) had made an S$500,000 donation to the Asean Football Federation (AFF) – via the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) – for the development of its Football Management System (FMS).

However, questions still abound over how the donation was solicited, with both businessman Bill Ng, who owns TBFC, and FAS general secretary Winston Lee providing contrasting accounts.

Ng, who is also the chairman of S.League club Hougang United, insists that it was Lee who had asked TBFC to make the donation.

Lee however, said it was then-FAS president Zainudin Nordin who had done the soliciting, and has denied playing an active role in the matter.

Not much is known as well about the FMS. The AFF only said in a previous statement that it “is an initiative aimed at enhancing the capabilities of football associations and clubs…in areas of income generation, information technology, corporate governance, and facilities utilization, among others.”

The AFF added that they had received the donation from the FAS on Nov 4 2015, and that the FMS is expected to be launched within the “next nine to 12 months.”

A copy of the AFF’s 2015 annual report obtained by TODAY did not have a record of the FAS’ S$500,000 donation. There was also no mention of the FMS in it.

At an AFF Finance & Marketing (F&M) Committee meeting held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Sunday (April 23), TODAY asked a man who identified himself as AFF assistant general secretary Toh Sen Nee, to share more details about the donation and the FMS.

However, Toh said he was unable to comment and requested for TODAY to direct any questions to AFF vice-president Khiev Sameth, who is also the F&M committee’s deputy chairman.

When approached, Sameth, who is from Cambodia, not only declined comment, but also denied he was from the AFF even though he had walked out of the room where the F&M committee was having its meeting.

An email TODAY sent to AFF general secretary Dato Azzuddin Ahmad earlier this week with queries about the donation also remains unanswered.

TODAY had asked whether the AFF actively solicits donations from other member associations for the FMS, how many other donors have contributed to the FMS, and whether it was Lee or Zainudin who had volunteered the donation.

The controversial S$500,000 donation dominated headlines last week, which prompted national sports governing body Sport Singapore (SportSG) to look into the matter.

Following preliminary investigations, SportSG then made a police report on April 19 over “misuse of TBFC’s funds and a purported attempt by a senior officer of the club to delay and/or obstruct the completion of audits into the S.League sit-out clubs.”

Last Thursday, Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) officers raided the clubhouses of TBFC, Hougang and Woodlands Wellington, which Ng is also linked with, as well as the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar Stadium, and carted away computer equipment and cartons of documents.

All three clubhouses remained closed as of Sunday afternoon. However, TODAY saw staff working in the Woodlands and TBFC outlets who waved this reporter away when he tried to ask to speak to them.

Several members were also spotted outside the TBFC clubhouse, but were unable to enter as it was locked.

An elderly man, who only wanted to be known as Mr Leng, said that he had seen a sign on the clubhouse entrance on Saturday saying it would be re-opened Sunday.

“That’s why I came down,” said Mr Leng, who has been a member of TBFC for almost a year.

“I can see some staff working inside but they didn’t come to let us know if they’ll be opening today or not. It looks like they’re still not ready for business.”