THE Seremban International Golf Club committee appointed by the club president must also step down over its unilateral decision to ban the sale of alcohol in the club, said members.

They said it is the right thing to do as the club president Aminuddin Harun, who is the Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar, is resigning.

Club members at an EGM on Sunday retracted the club’s prohibition against alcohol, following which the club president said he would step down.

“And when the menteri besar steps down, the committee members should follow their leader and go, too.

“Although it is not law, the bottom line is, the committee was appointed by the menteri besar.

“We did not elect them to be committee members, the members never voted. These were direct appointments by Aminuddin,” said a club member, a lawyer who asked for anonymity.

Yesterday Aminuddin said he was resigning the club presidency after the alcohol ban was lifted. The ban was ordered by the club management he had put in place.

At Sunday’s EGM, 160 members had unanimously voted to rescind the ban on grounds it was inconsistent with the club constitution.

Aminuddin was absent from the meeting, which was chaired by the deputy club president Razali Ab Malik, who is the state secretary.

The club president had earlier threatened to resign if SIGC did not stop serving alcohol on its premises, saying his role as the club president would otherwise be in conflict with his duties as chairman of the State Islamic Ac.

He said he had only accepted the club presidency as the SIGC constitution stipulates that the post must be held by the menteri besar.

The club deputy presidency is reserved for the state secretary.

The lawyer said Aminuddin was not obliged to be tied to the club constitution and was free to leave
 
“If he says he wants to resign because he doesn’t want his role here to be in conflict with his position as state exco, that is fair enough to me.  

“He is free to step down. There are no laws to stop him.”  

He said the club members were working to have the management of the government-owned club returned to them. 

“The matter has been discussed by members. In other words, we want the club to be free from political influence, meaning no political appointments like the menteri besar.

“Instead the members manage the club and hold an election to elect the president. It has been done before.”

Another club member Shanjoy Roy Choudhury, however, said according to the club constitution, the club president cannot resign.

“The constitution states that the menteri besar must be president. Unless he steps down as menteri besar, then the new menteri besar will be appointed president, that is the club law,” he said.

He said on the practical side, the club could function without him, except in matters related to the golf course, which is on land owned by the state. 

“The previous menteri besar Isa Samad never attended any SIGC meetings,” he said.

The 18-hole course is owned by the state government, while the clubhouse and other facilities belong to the members.

The 67-year-old club has 1,100 members, less than half of whom are non-Muslims. The members are mainly civil servants and retirees. – March 26, 2019.