The Star prints a story today about the cancelled Kings Of Tennis tournament. There's a press statement (click here) from the event organiser Arianna Teoh who denied allegations that the event was cancelled because of her failure to remit funds to the Swedish-based producer.
She claimed that she was hired by the producer Show Administration as a vice-president for the Kings of Tennis event and had agreed to organise and manage the event in Malaysia. But budgeting, revenue and invoicing were obligations to be undertaken by Show Administration, which was obligated to set up a Malaysian company controlled by them and to be named Kings of Tennis Malaysia.
“I was supposed to be made a director for the Kings of Tennis Malaysia company in order to issue all invoices in relation to all sources of revenue pertaining to the event. These would include corporate boxes, sponsors and hospitality packages. At no time was I under any obligation to personally remit funds to the producer for the event."
Teoh said the producer failed to set up the company and what was set up was a company intended by the producer to be the vehicle for fund collection. “It was set up extremely late despite my repeated reminders,” she said.
Meanwhile, I was having a chat with a colleague last week and he was saying that for a tenth of the much bandied-about RM18 million expenditure/loss for this aborted event, the organisers could have brought in any two players to run clinics for juniors, charity events, adult clinic, stroke with the pros, played one exhibition match on existing facilities and done great development of tennis in the state for our juniors and social players. And there are many existing tennis courts in Penang.
Has anyone even asked which NGOs actually spoke so strongly for Miss Teoh and that could be the breaking point for the entire episode? I am curious...very very curious
ReplyDeleteMs. Teoh is not telling the all that she knows. She does not mention that she signed a contract to buy the event from the Swedish Company. She did not mention she personally guarenteed money. She was never hired. She failed Penang, she failed Tennis fans in Malaysia, she failed her Government and she also failed herself.
ReplyDeleteshe should just admit the truth that she was in over her head and take her lumps because the truth always surfaces and she will have more then mud on her face then. I was made aware of her failed dealings from a friend of mine that knows people involved in the project.
Looks like the last anonymous message has a personal vendatta against Ms. Teoh. How would you know personal details - we are only judging thru the facts that are being presented. Sounds to me like Ms. Teoh is being made a scapegoat.
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