Sava urges MVA to reconcile

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Dr William Ting Wei Ung

SIBU: The Sarawak Volleyball Association (Sava) never harboured any grouse or resentment against Meradong Volleyball Association (MVA) despite being falsely accused of giving them the ‘cold’ treatment over the past two years.Its deputy chairman, Dr William Ting Wei Ung, said MVA had only itself to blame for its predicament following its suspension from Sava.

Ting, also president of Sibu Volleyball Association, said Sava was not being unsympathetic but if MVA had any sincere plan to return to Sava, it should write in to appeal for the suspension to be lifted.

“However, till now, we have never received any appeal letter from MVA with regard to the lifting of the suspension,” he told The Borneo Post in an interview.

MVA was suspended from Sava for two years after the then MVA chairman Ting Yu Hiek, called for the team to boycott and staged a walkout during the 2010 Sarawak Open U-16 volleyball championship held in Sibu.

The walkout occurred after the referee ruled in favour of Sibu for an alleged outside smash.

The Meradong team immediately protested but the referee stayed firm with his decision.

As a result, MVA staged the walkout and subsequently boycotted the rest of the matches.

Following the incident, the Sava disciplinary board demanded an explanation from MVA over the purported misconduct.

MVA remained defiant and continued to hit and criticise Sava for being arrogant and unfair treatment on MVA.

After failing to resolve the matter, Sava decided to suspend MVA indefinitely for what it considered as MVA’s violation of the international rules and regulations, which among others, stated that the decision of a referee is final.

Since then, MVA officials had expressed their disappointment with Sava and had occasionally issued press statements condemning the action of Sava as being arrogant and unsympathetic.

Despite all those false allegations, Ting said Sava never retaliated against MVA but continued to treat MVA as a part of Sava’s family.

“We do not know why MVA was so determined to destroy the good bond with Sava all these year. We are one big family and there is no need to create all the fuss,” he said.

Ting said Sava never seeks any vendetta against MVA for making all those false allegations.

He said if MVA were truly sincere to return to Sava, it should resort to the proper channel and write in to Sava for consideration to lift the suspension instead of expressing all their grievances in the press.

“It’s pointless to issue disparaging remarks against Sava. This will not only aggravate the matter but would create further friction between both associations,” he said.

Ting said the association acknowledged and appreciated all the good deeds Yu Hiek in his years as the chairman of MVA. Yu Hiek had since resigned from MVA.

“We knew that he was a hardworking chairman and had enormously contributions towards the growth of MVA.

“Maybe, it could be due to his commitment and his overzealous ambition to help protect the MVA that propelled him to make all those statements against Sava.

“We understand his difficulties and his predicament. It is over now and we hope the new MVA chairman would act intelligently and conduct the matters in a more appropriate manner.”

Ting also mentioned that MVA members who would like to play volleyball could join Sava affiliates as their temporary platform for the time being.

“Once the suspension is lifted, they can return to MVA and continue their great effort in the volleyball fraternity.”