The MCF story, from AGM to EGM. Part 1.

Ref: Here.

After checking I believe that the above post is more or less accurate. However I am a little dubious about the motions being proposed as well as the intentions of the author. To see this issue more accurately let us go back a little into the past and also let us see what we were trying to achieve during the AGM.

The revolt during the AGM happened for many reasons. Some of us were aghast that the authority invested in MCF/Associations were used to sack or suspend innocent officials without grounds and/or due process, some of us were fed up with the lack of success in MCF for the last 30 plus years. Some of us did not like how selection was done via PR campaigns and how undeserving players were given places to play for the National squad. And some of us were tired of how some officials used their authority in the State Associations or MCF to attack private organisers and trainers/coaches and so subvert the development of chess in Malaysia etc etc etc.

It was a big mess before and we had all hoped that a rejuvenated MCF can bring in some positive change. So directly after the AGM, opinions were divided as to whether the objectives were achieved or not. Perhaps some were still dissatisfied but by and large many of us accepted the results after a long tough fight and continued to try to work with the new MCF to achieve the same goals.

And there were some positive changes. We got some sort of selection for the senior squad at National Close and the Malaysian Masters and there were no more banning of players without grounds that I am aware of. (But it was not so straight forward. Mark still faced a lot of resistance getting to play at the National Close but some good officials intervened and so we finally managed to play.)

Note: The selection criteria were lop-sided, in my opinion, but when we chose to play that meant we accepted the criteria and we did not qualify. So nothing wrong there. We will just struggle again and argue our case to get fairer criteria for the next year or try to qualify within the given criteria if we are unsuccessful in getting any changes there. But at least we will know where the goal post is.

So it did seem that there were finally some check and balances and some way to resolve issues with the new MCF. So how did this "sudden" call for an EGM come about? That is the question now on many of our minds and that is what I will try to cover in the next part.

I am writing this in the hope that we will learn from the lessons so that this EGM, if it does come about, will bring in the changes that we had all hoped for. If we are not clear of the issues yet again then we may be looking at an "EEGM" or just simply go back to the dark old days again. So we need to be very careful about what the EGM will bring and hopefully not repeat past mistakes. And then still hope for positive change.

If that happens again then I believe this will just become another MCF story of so much wasted time and energy.

Next: The events that triggered the EGM call.