MEDIA STATEMENT
1. It has come to our attention that one Mr Tan Kai Kok has written a Facebook post on 16 September at 19:38 (the “Post”) regarding the Singapore Table Tennis Association (“STTA”) and the recently concluded BGM of the STTA on 15 September 2018. Mr Tan Kai Kok also wrote on the STTA Management Committee (“MC”) elections that took place at the BGM.
2. In the Post, Mr Tan Kai Kok made the following allegations, amongst others:
a) Dr Toh Kian Lam (of Team 3H which stood for election at the STTA BGM) was forced to resign from his position as a grassroots leader;
b) Ms Ellen Lee made use of her power to recruit nine new members into the STTA with rights to vote at the BGM (the “New Members”);
c) According to the Constitution, these New Members have to undergo a probation period of one year before they become full members with voting rights. However, this probation period was waived by Ms Ellen Lee to allow the New Members to vote directly at the BGM;
d) The authorities investigated several members of Team 3H.
e) Minister Grace Fu and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah helped Ms Ellen Lee win STTA elections by applying undue pressure on some members of Team 3H;
f) During the BGM elections, Team 3H persons were separated and prevented from discussing or communicating amongst themselves; and
g) The voting procedures for the elections were changed without prior notice and the “show of hands” method of voting was arbitrarily used to forcefully pass the change.
3. The contents of the Post contain several serious untrue statements. The STTA disagrees generally with Mr Tan Kai Kok’s allegations in the Post. The STTA now addresses the more salient allegations that are set out in paragraph 2 above.
4. At the outset, STTA wishes to state that the BGM and the elections were legitimately and validly carried out, in accordance with the provisions of the STTA Constitution.
5. STTA wishes to clarify as follows:
| No. | Allegation | Response |
| a) | Dr Toh Kian Lam was forced to resign from his position as a grassroots leader. | This is an untrue and baseless allegation.
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| b) | Ms Ellen Lee made use of her power to recruit the nine New Members. | This is untrue. Ms Ellen Lee did not abuse her power. All members of the STTA (including the “New Members”) have joined STTA in accordance with the Constitution. |
| c) | According to the Constitution, these New Members have to undergo a probation period of one year before they become full members with voting rights. However, this probation period was waived by Ms Ellen Lee to allow the New Members to vote directly at the BGM | This is untrue.
Clause 4 of the STTA Constitution provides that there are three categories of Membership: Ordinary Membership, Full Membership and Honorary Membership.
Only Full Members can vote at BGMs.
Clause 4 of the STTA constitution provides that “an Ordinary Member may apply in writing to S.T.T.A. for Full Membership.” There is no provision for any mandatory or minimum “probation period” between attaining Ordinary Membership and acquiring Full Membership (with voting rights).
There is thus no “probation period” that Ms Ellen Lee allegedly waived. All Full Members of the STTA acquired their status in accordance with the process provided for in Clause 4 of the STTA Constitution. |
| d) | The authorities investigated several members of Team 3H.
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No comment. This has no relevance to Ms Ellen Lee or the STTA. If Mr Tan Kai Kok is insinuating that Ms Ellen Lee ‘mobilised’ the authorities in response to Team 3H’s decision to stand for election, that is baseless and false. |
| e) | Minister Grace Fu and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah helped Ms Ellen Lee win STTA elections by applying undue pressure on members of Team 3H. | This is untrue. This is an unsubstantiated and false allegation. |
| f) | During the BGM elections, Team 3H persons were separated and prevented from discussing or communicating amongst themselves. | This is baseless and false. In fact, Ms Ellen Lee, as chairman of the BGM, did accede to Team 3H’s request for a ‘timeout’ for discussion during the BGM, and stood down the BGM for such purpose. |
| g) | The voting procedures for the elections were changed without prior notice and the “show of hands” method of voting was arbitrarily used to forcefully pass the change | This is untrue. STTA wishes to clarify as follows:
1. The MC proposed an election procedure for the elections (“MC Election Procedure”). Team 3H disputed the MC Election Procedure. The matter was then put to a vote at the BGM. Voting on that motion – i.e. whether the MC Election Procedure should be adopted by the meeting – took place by “show of hands”.
2. The “show of hands” method was a lawful method used to pass resolutions. It is not precluded by the STTA Constitution. Clause 12.7 of the STTA Constitution holds that:
“Voting at all Biennial General Meeting, Extra-Ordinary General shall be by ballot or in such manner as the Chairman shall deem fair and expedient. Only those present at the meetings shall be eligible to vote unless otherwise provided herein.”
3. The Chairman of the BGM, Ms Ellen Lee, deemed that the “show of hands” method was fair and expedient.
4. The members, including those represented by persons from Team 3H, did not object to “show of hands”.
5. After the “show of hands”, the motion for the MC Election Procedure was passed by a majority of the members.
6. Thereafter, the elections proceeded in accordance with the MC Election Procedure. The members, including those members represented by persons from Team 3H, participated in the elections.
7. Ms Ellen Lee and her colleagues were duly elected for MC positions. Team 3H was not elected for any MC position.
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6. As is clear from the above, the Post contains a number of serious falsehoods. STTA reserves its rights against the author of the Post, and those who choose to repeat those false and baseless statements.
