A sports event organiser has allegedly tapped into Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s popularity to seek sponsorship from several companies in the state.
State executive councillor Phee Boon Poh claimed he and Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik had received several complaints from businessmen who were approached by the organiser, Malaysia Arm Sports Association, to sponsor their tournament in August.“The businessmen had been misled into believing that the event was supported by the Youth and Sports Ministry and the state government.
“The truth is Lim only agreed to issue a message in their souvenir booklet in March but did not give approval to the organiser to seek sponsorship or donations,” Phee said after lodging a police report at the Petani Road police station here yesterday.
Phee claimed the organiser even added Lim’s photo and a stamp stating “salinan disahkan” (certified copy) before presenting it together with a letter from the Malaysian Sports Commissioner’s Office to potential sponsors.
He said that one company donated RM1,500 after being told that the event was endorsed by the state.
Phee said the state had in April lodged a police report against the same organiser for using the state’s logo without written permission.
He claimed the organiser had since withdrawn the logo from the letterhead but continued to use it in the official receipts they issued to the sponsors.
“Now we want to withdraw the message and to announce officially that we have no connections with them at all,” he said.
Ng said he managed to contact the “person-in-charge” through a mobile phone number provided by a businessman who was asked to sponsor the event.
He said the man claimed to be an officer from the income tax office but declined to give his post in the department.
“He also told me the event was organised by the Youth and Sports Ministry, which is obviously not true,” he added.
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