• The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) explained why the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) was booted out as the sanctioning body for motorsports.

• KBS recommended to the FIM that the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) take AAM’s place.

• According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner, “The AAM consistently broke the rules.”

The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM)/Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) saga riles many feathers and had many racing enthusiasts talking about it. In the latest twist, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS – Youth and Sports Ministry) joined the ring, calling for AAM to be booted out of role as the country’s authority on motorsports.

The minister of the department, Syed Saddiq said, “AAM has been suspended by the (FIM) Sports Commission for consistently breaching the provisions of the Sports Development Act 1997. Many warnings have been given out before.”

“It is important for international regulatory bodies to be aware of this and take whatever action as necessary. We do not dictate what they should or should not do.”

On the other hand, “MAM has always been registered with the Sports Commissioner under the Sports Development Act 1997 to carry out national motorsports events.”

He added that this was in effect from many years ago, even before he became a minister.

Malaysian Insider had previously claimed that Syed Saddiq sent a letter to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) in September last year. The letter sought to recognize MAM as the sole Malaysian motorsports authority.

According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner’s Office, it cancelled AAM’s status as a sports body in late 2018 after the latter “broke the rules.” AAM did not submitted their year-end report and amending their own constitution.

AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Mustapha, on the other hand, said that they had been in constant communication with the FIM, but was suddenly deregistered on 30^thNovember 2018.

AAM is the only sporting body in Malaysia sanctioned by the FIM, International Automobile Federation (FIA), and International Carting Federation (CIK). Hence, participants need to apply for their racing license and insurance from AAM if they compete overseas.

Tunku Mudzaffar warned that international motorsports events such as MotoGP will be jeopardy since AAM is the sole sanctioning body.

Our take

Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali had said that the SIC MotoGP teams registered their riders including Hafizh Syahrin directly with the FIM without the involvement of AAM or MAM.

But if the FIM accepts MAM as the sanctioning body in Malaysia, international motorsports events ought to continue, which contradicts AAM’s statement.

The reality is this: The AAM has long been reviled by Malaysian racers on both four wheels and two wheels. To them, the body had only been charging high premiums for the racing license and insurance but have done nothing to promote the country’s motorsports. “AAM is beyond reproach,” they said.

These grouses were aired to this writer when he was covering the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship from 2015 and many other motorsports events.

Karma?