KUALA LUMPUR — While the structure and terminology may appear complex, former national bowling queen Datuk Shalin Zulkifli has assured that the mechanisms for reporting abuse and misconduct within the local sporting ecosystem remain straightforward — especially for athletes.
Speaking to Scoop today, Shalin, who heads the Malaysian Athletes’ Career and Education (MACE) Secretariat — which oversees the Committee on Misconduct and Protection in Sports under the National Sports Council (NSC) — said more athletes have come forward to report abuse since the Safe Sport Code was introduced in 2023.
According to Shalin, a significant number of cases have emerged from the states, including those involving grassroots and development-level athletes, while 16 reports were lodged at the national level.
“Under MACE, we have the Committee on Misconduct and Protection in Sports. This committee handles reports and complaints of abuse.
“Our setup is a little different from Singapore’s, which has the Safe Sport Commission. But I assure you, although the structure and terms may seem complicated, the processes for reporting abuse and misconduct in sport are kept simple.”
She cited the case of a former assistant bowling coach who was convicted of sexually assaulting a Malaysia Games (Sukma) athlete and began serving his six-year prison sentence in April, as one of the success stories since the Safe Sport Code came into force.
“We pursued the case and launched an investigation, even though the abuse occurred at the state level before the Code was introduced — as the victim had eventually joined the national programme.
“This is certainly one of our success stories. But every case of abuse or misconduct is different. Some individuals are afraid to file a report, while others come forward simply to help raise awareness.
“We tailor our response based on what the complainant wants. Not all victims are athletes — sometimes officials are involved too,” Shalin added.
The urgency around Safe Sport has grown in recent weeks, particularly after former national cyclist Nor Effandy Rosli was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage trainee under his care — a case that has prompted renewed scrutiny of how sports bodies prevent and respond to abuse.
In response, the NSC has ramped up efforts to create a safer sporting environment, recently training 92 “focal point” officers to implement the Safe Sport Code across Malaysia’s national sports associations (NSAs).
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh also announced that the ministry is working with the National Sports Institute (NSI) to roll out a national registry of certified coaches.
The registry will allow parents to verify whether a coach has undergone the required vetting and holds valid credentials to train youth athletes. — July 21, 2025