The club said that it did not want to engage in a media war with Tan Sri Tan because many of his accusations are subject matter of police report which he lodged against the president and committee members of the club. The PTC was also advised by its lawyers that it would be prudent and respectful to respond fully to all the inaccuracies and disinformation once the police had completed the probe.
But Mr. Leow Khin Ming, the club’s assistant general manager and secretary, said that it was necessary to respond to the latest round of allegations and criticisms made by Tan Sri Tan in an article in the Star on May 22.
This move is necessary to prevent confusion among club members and the public over the decision to relocate the club to Batu Kawan.
“The decision to relocate the club from its present site to Batu Kawan was made by the majority members of the club at a duly convened extraordinary general meeting held in November 2002. Tan Sri should not attempt to impose his personal views on the majority decision by the club members,” said Mr. Leow.
Below are some extracts of Tan Sri Tan’s comments in the newspaper article and the club’s response:-
- “The Batu Gantong racecourse is a well-known landmark in
The PTC said that Tan Sri Tan and his friend have since April 2008 attempted to convince members to develop bungalow units for sale at the club’s present site and use the profits to build a new racecourse in Batu Kawan. “This is contrary to his public stance that the club should be maintained as an iconic heritage,” said Mr. Leow.
- “I voted against the extraordinary general meeting resolution (to relocate the club) when it was mooted in 2002.”
The PTC said that it was interesting to note that there is no record in the minutes of Tan Sri having spoken against the resolutions although there were other minority members who had opposed the move.
One of the resolutions was to pay every ordinary member RM20,000.00 each for hardship when the racecourse is relocated to Batu Kawan. “Three cheques amounting to RM20,000.00 were sent to Tan Sri in his name and according to the club’s bank statements, these cheques were cleared,” noted Leow.
- Tan Sri Tan’s allegation that the PTC president and two of his staff members signed a supplementary agreement which granted a renewable extension of three years till March 2011 for Abad Naluri to complete building the new racecourse in Batu Kawan.
The PTC said that the club committee did not renew the 2004 agreement with Abad Naluri by a supplementary agreement in 2008 as alleged by Tan Sri Tan but “merely imposed a definite time frame for the completion of the new racecourse in Batu Kawan by March 2011.
“If the Penang Global City Centre project cannot be carried out for any reason by Abad Naluri, then the committee and members of the club can consider any new proposal for the development of the club by open tender,” said Mr. Leow.
- Tan Sri Tan said he had no intention of running for the PTC presidency or for a committee post.
The PTC noted that in 1992 Tan Sri Tan tried unsuccessfully to get elected to the club’s committee. In 1993 he was part of the “Vision” team that sought election to the club’s committee. He was defeated.
It saddens the Committee that Tan Sri has lodged a police report against the Committee over differences in opinion over the proposed relocation exercise which the Committee is carrying out in accordance with the resolution passed by members at the duly convened Extraordinary General Meeting and in accordance to the Club’s constitution.
The club said that it will respond to the catalogue of accusations and inaccuracies once the police have completed its investigations.
