Negri MB to resign as SIGC president after club reverses decision to ban alcohol

SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pic) will resign as Seremban International Golf Club (SIGC) president after members voted to overturn a decision by the management to ban the sale of beer at its premises.

The Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar said he would write to the management soonest on this.

"I have decided to resign following the decision by the members.

"I will inform the management of this in writing," he said, when met at an event in Sikamat.

Aminuddin said he only accepted the post as the SIGC constitution clearly stipulated that the post of club president is automatically given to the Mentri Besar.

The post of deputy president is reserved for the state secretary.

The 18-hole course is owned by the state government, while the clubhouse and other facilities belong to the members.

On Sunday (March 25), almost 135 members who had turned up at an extraordinary general meeting voted to overturn the ban on the sale of beer implemented since last August.

The club management made the decision when Aminuddin was made president.

With the decision taken at the EGM, the club can now resume selling and serving beer.

Members said the decision by the management to ban the sale of beer at the club was simply against the club’s constitution.

Apart from violating the club’s decades-old practice of selling and serving beer, the members claimed the decision was made against the will of the majority of the club's some 1,500 members.

On Thursday (March 21), Aminuddin threatened to resign as president if members vote to overturn a decision of its management to stop the sale of beer at the premises.

Aminuddin said he cannot be helming a club which sold and served beer to its members and patrons when he was also state Islamic Affairs committee head.

"I will have no problem resigning, as I do not play golf," he had said.

Aminuddin said he cannot be the president of the club if it continued selling beer, as the course was located in an area where almost all the residents were Muslims.

He also admitted proposing to the management committee to stop the sale of beer if he were to become president then, as there was a mosque just next to the club and several more in the vicinity.

Aminuddin said it was also inappropriate to sell beer at the club as many of its members were civil servants.