Sport Singapore chief Lim Teck Yin has asked the new leaders of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) - regardless of who is elected - to take all views into account when they take over the helm of the national sports association (NSA).
Speaking to media at yesterday's launch of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, he said: "I think everyone has a view on (the problems surrounding Singapore football) and it is their right to hold different views.
"I think the new council should listen very carefully to different voices and see how they can come up with strategies and plans to serve the wider community of football fans, football teams as well as to put in place a sustained programme to build a strong pipeline for the national team. The fundamental issue is really take in a wide range of views and make the decisions that you have to make.
"We understand that the council has to make decisions but I think what the community has signalled is they would like to be able to give their input."
The chief executive officer of the national sports agency declined comment on the election itself, which take places at the Sports Hub tomorrow. But he also denied that local sport is in disarray.
Singapore Athletics (SA) is the other major NSA hit with controversy. Amid claims of infighting, an extraordinary general meeting (EOGM) will take place next Friday to elect a new management committee.
Lim said: "We have 64 NSAs so I don't think we should generalise that our NSAs are all poorly managed. The vast majority of them are doing a great job and trying to serve the community the best they can.
"In the very beginning for athletics, I told the SA president (Ho Mun Cheong) that we're looking forward to a cohesive community and committee, because the plans that we need to put in place are multi-year plans. They're not plans that (we) can afford to change every year.
"I think he understands that message quite clearly and I hope that in the coming EOGM, SA will do the right thing to ensure continuity of the plans that have already started."
He also insisted that tighter regulation is not needed. Referring to paddler Feng Tianwei's exit from the Singapore Table Tennis Association's (STTA) fold last October, and her triumph at the Korea Open last weekend, Lim pointed out that the issue had been "amicably resolved".
He said: "I think news is news but by and large our NSAs know what they have to do and they're trying their best to do a good job. But always listening to a wider range of input is useful to make the tough decisions."
