SINGAPORE - After receiving feedback from the sport's world governing body Fifa, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will now amend its constitution by March next year and hold a full election of its council members after the amendment.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the FAS said: "On the advice of Fifa, the FAS has decided not to make changes to its office bearers for the time being.
"Instead, the current team will work closely with Fifa on the proposed amendments to the FAS constitution to ensure alignment of our electoral process with the Fifa statutes. We will also seek the consent of our members and affiliates as well as the necessary regulatory approvals for any changes to the constitution.
"We expect to amend our constitution by March next year, and will make a further announcement in due course on the timing of the council elections."
Fifa's statute 13.1(i) states that member associations are obliged to "manage their own affairs and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties".
Last updated in 2011, article 19.3 of the FAS' constitution states that "all council members shall be appointed by the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (now called the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth) - including the president - and shall, unless otherwise decided by the Minister, hold office for a period of two years".
But the FAS statement said: "The current appointment process has been in place since 1982. From the start, Fifa was aware of this practice and did not object to it."
The current FAS president, appointed in 2009, is Zainudin Nordin. The 52-year-old was a former Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC .
