New Singapore basketball chief Seah Liang Bing seeks unity to lift the sport

SINGAPORE – With the sport in turmoil recently owing to match-fixing allegations and upheaval in the Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS) board, newly appointed president Seah Liang Bing has stepped in to try and steady the ship, calling for “unity to drive Singapore basketball to the next level”.

The 68-year-old former international referee, who owns a workplace safety and health consultation company, told The Straits Times: “There are ad-hoc issues and problems that we will solve in time to come, but we must also keep working to take Singapore basketball to greater heights.

“To do so, the ecosystem – from national sports agency Sport Singapore, BAS, clubs, players, parents, fans and other stakeholders – must be united.”

In August,

several National Basketball League Division 1 players were hauled up

by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau for investigations over alleged match-fixing.

In the fall-out, defending champions Adroit

were deemed to have fielded suspended players

in their semi-final win over Siglap and saw vehement appeals thrown out as the club were disqualified.

That left the final in limbo as the BAS has to decide whether to award the championship to the other finalists Eng Tat Hornets, or schedule a final between Eng Tat and Siglap.

Seah reiterated BAS’ zero-tolerance policy for match-fixing activities and urged all players, referees and officials to report any suspicious activities.

Within the BAS, there was also upheaval in the association’s board following its Sept 20 election.

In early October, former BAS president Bob Tor stepped down – the reason was not disclosed – and Seah was voted as his successor on a three-year term by the board members. Subsequently, Shanmugadas Kumaresadas resigned from the board, while they also mourned the death of fellow member Matthias Koh on Oct 20.

Expressing his sadness over Koh’s passing and his regret over the unforeseen resignations, Seah said: “Initially, I just wanted to contribute as a board member. But after everything that has happened, I was elected BAS president because they feel I’m equipped for the role.

“As a volunteer, I am driven to give back to the community that has given me so much. We have taken steps to reinforce our line-up, and I have every confidence in our current board members.”

An avid sportsman who also plays badminton, golf and table tennis, basketball has been Seah’s passion since he started playing it at Dunman Government Chinese Middle School, now known as Dunman High School.

He was so keen to understand more that he took up coaching and refereeing courses in his early 20s, becoming a national referee in 1982 and an international referee in 1993. He was also a Fiba technical committee commissioner from 2011 to 2019 and served as BAS honorary general from 2013 to 2015.

He said: “Basketball is in my blood and I’m passionate about it because it’s more than just a game. It’s a platform for connection, teamwork and personal growth. I’m committed to shaping the next generation of players, coaches and officials, contributing to a stronger and more vibrant local basketball community.”

Seah told The Straits Times that the BAS will continue to build on the previous board’s strategic plans.

This means a continued push in 3x3 as it shoots for a historic SEA Games gold when the biennial meet is held in Singapore in 2029, and Olympic qualification in 2032.

To achieve this, he confirmed there are plans to form professional 3x3 teams in 2026 to play on Fiba’s pro circuit, with more details to be revealed on a later date.

The national men’s and women’s 3x3 teams are currently in a three-week training camp in Serbia, while the women’s 5v5 team spent two weeks playing in the second tier of the Women’s Korean Basketball League in July.

To help the men’s 5v5 team prepare for the Dec 9-20 SEA Games, they will hold a training camp in the Philippines or invite a professional Taiwanese team to Singapore.

Stressing the importance of more playing opportunities and international exposure to raise the levels of their teams, Seah said: “Our immediate focus is to work closely with SportSG and Fiba to ensure the sustainable growth and development of Singapore basketball. We hope to seek their continued support and commitment to our shared vision.

“As we prioritise the 3x3 format, we are also committed to enhancing the 5v5 discipline in 2026. Our goal is to strengthen the foundational aspects of the sport, enabling more players to benefit and facilitate higher levels of domestic competition.”

For a sport long perceived to be dominated by Chinese players, Seah is also encouraged by a more balanced demographic in the senior and junior teams.

For example, there are non-Chinese talent such as Aufa Emil Putra, brothers Aditya and Eshan Kaul, and Liam Blakney fighting for SEA Games spots.

The Under-16 girls’ team, who won a

silver in the South-east Asia Basketball Association (Seaba) qualifiers

for the Fiba U-16 Women’s Asia Cup in May, were also a multi-racial side. They featured Michelle Ayeni, who has a Nigerian father and Singaporean Chinese mother, and Elessa Emily, who has a Cameroonian father and Singaporean Indian mother.

Elessa then teamed up with Marsya Alia, Jane Tan and Zhang Yiwen to clinch the

bronze in the Seaba U-17 3x3 girls’ tournament

in September.

Seah said: “Success can be defined by medals, but success can also come in the form of a higher level of participation and quality of play at grassroots level.

“What is important is to create an environment where children of any race will want to play basketball... we can help to develop them to fulfil their potential, so that we can expand our base and pool of talent to sharpen our national teams.”