President faces mounting crises ahead of elections
MALAYSIAN Golf Association president, Admiral (R) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor, can expect what promises to be an explosive annual general meeting in the first week of December.
Scheduled for Miri, Sarawak, the AGM doubles as an election year, with the spotlight now firmly on an executive committee crippled by financial deficits, high-profile tournament catastrophes, and growing dissatisfaction among stakeholders.
At the core of this sad and worrying situation is Anwar, who has held post since May 2011.
It is understood that Anwar will seek re-election, but confirmation will only be on Nov 21, the closing date for nominations.
Up for grabs are all five key executive posts: the presidency, three vice-presidencies (two male and one female), the secretary, and the treasurer.
Industry insiders are already anticipating a clash. One long-time golf administrator predicted “fireworks” at the Miri assembly, adding that the venue itself has raised eyebrows.
“You have to ask yourself why the elections AGM is being held in Sarawak this December, when the last time out in 2024 it was in Sabah, and before that in 2022, it was held at Palm Resort in Johor,” the administrator noted.
“Most of the clubs (per state) are in the Klang Valley, but the AGM rotation doesn’t reflect that, does it?”
Despite the geographic hurdles, another commentator suggested that Anwar and his inner circle are likely to retain office given their entrenched longevity, notwithstanding their profound unpopularity among grassroots supporters of the game.
Anwar’s 15-year tenure, which began with a razor-thin one-vote victory in 2011 and has since seen him repeatedly win unopposed on most occasions, is currently buckling under the weight of severe financial and developmental setbacks.
Critics argue he has failed in his primary mandate: to develop the game on a national scale.
Over the past decade, for example, the MGA has managed to stage only two Malaysian Opens. Both were marred by serious financial failings.
The most recent fiasco involved a three-year, US$4.5mil (RM20.15mil) revival deal with IRS Prima Holding for the 2024–2025 Malaysian Open.
The sponsor failed to disburse the promised funds on time, resulting in severe delays in winners’ prize money, as well as vendor payouts.
Co-sanctioning body, the Asian Tour, was ultimately forced to step in and pay the golfers, leaving the MGA indebted to the regional authority (still outstanding), and the Malaysian Open was subsequently dropped from the tour’s schedule.
A similar payment delay plagued the 2020 edition, with rumors persisting that some vendors from both events remain unpaid years later.
These tournament failures are compounded by glaring financial mismanagement. At the 2024 AGM in Kota Kinabalu, tabled financial reports revealed the association was nearly RM500,000 in the red.
Furthermore, the MGA has drawn heavy fire for its sluggish accounting. Observers point to the financial report tabled last year, which was for 2024, and the upcoming Miri meeting will allegedly table the 2025 report – despite the year coming to a close in 2026.
Tens of thousands of ringgit spent on the “GoGolf” programme also remain publicly unaccounted for.
The tipping point for many stakeholders, however, came in mid-2026 when the Olympic Council of Malaysia barred the nation from sending a golf team to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, citing a failure to meet qualifying criteria.
The exclusion sparked a huge outcry on social media from parents, former national players, and supporters, exposing a deeply fractured development structure and a no-existent pipeline.
The backlash led to local media seeking answers. TeeUp, for one, has formally sought clarification from the MGA on a litany of public allegations – but the queries have gone unanswered.
The exhaustive list of grievances includes claims of opaque selection criteria, rampant internal favouritism, and a national junior development structure that forces players to travel at their own personal expense.
Among the most damning allegations are claims on social media that parents are expected to bankroll team managers’ travel and accommodation, while financial sponsorship is allegedly a condition for junior selection.
Former national players have also voiced their disillusionment.
“Was in the national team for years, satu glove pun tak pernah dapat (not even a single glove was ever received),” revealed one former player, while another lamented the complete absence of a dedicated head coach.
Furthermore, at least one SEA Games medallist has publicly stated they have yet to receive their promised reward.
The MGA leadership has consistently declined to respond to requests for transparency.
But as the Nov 21 nomination deadline nears and the December AGM approaches, the calls for systemic reform are gathering pace.
As one frustrated person summarised the public mood: “MGA is a good association, but the management team in charge is self-serving.
“Please let someone capable manage this association.”
Whether the delegates in Miri will heed that call, or allow the status quo to persist, remains the defining question for the future of Malaysian golf.
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