SINGAPORE - The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) election, which is scheduled for April 29, will go on.
A cloud had been cast over the inaugural polls following police raids on the FAS' headquarters at Jalan Besar, Hougang United, Tiong Bahru Football Club and Woodlands Wellington on Thursday evening (April 20).
The raids followed national sports agency Sport Singapore's revelation that it had lodged a police report on Wednesday night.
The doubt had been cast because the chairman of Hougang and Tiong Bahru, Bill Ng, is a presidential contender in the election. He leads a team known as the Game Changers.
But after The Straits Times posed queries to the FAS' ad hoc electoral committee, K. Bala Chandran, chairman of the committee, issued a statement saying: "The Ad Hoc Electoral Committee (EC) has no power to postpone or call off the election of the FAS Council and as at this moment knows of no reason for any disruption of the elections.
"The duties of the EC are primarily to supervise the administrative process relating to the FAS Council elections. Bearing this in mind, the EC is of the view that it will not be proper for the EC to comment and or give its views on the matters which are being raised in the press and media.
"The Electoral Code requires the EC to act independently and impartially."
The electoral code defines the regulations and procedures in the organising of an election, including procedures of nominations, examinations of nominees and the conduct of the election itself.
Earlier on Thursday, SportSG had issued a statement on the police report it had made, saying: "Following the media reports that Tiong Bahru Football Club had donated $500,000 to the Asean Football Federation (AFF) through the FAS (Football Association of Singapore), SportSG looked into the matter, and received further information on 18 April 2017.
"On the same day, SportSG also made further checks, which raised other serious questions about the use of Club funds.
"Based on legal advice, SportSG decided to file a police report on 19 April 2017 at about 7.50pm, in respect of suspected misuse of Tiong Bahru Football Club's funds and a purported attempt by a senior officer of the Club to delay and/or obstruct the completion of audits into the S-League sit-out clubs.
"SportSG will also request to meet the FAS' Ad-hoc Electoral Committee to clarify the way ahead for the upcoming elections."
The police declined comment except to say that it "will conduct a thorough investigation and will take appropriate action against any persons who have committed offences in Singapore".
