KUALA LUMPUR: Whether the country has made a profit or not from hosting the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games (KL2017) and the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games will only be known in a year’s time.
The Sports Ministry’s chief secretary, Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, said accounts for the hosting of both the Games held in August and September respectively are not closed yet because there are many processes that need to be finalised.
"These processes involve various procedures and we can’t just close the accounts just like that. Factors that have to be processed and considered are payments, assets, asset accumulation, digitising records and much more,” he said.
Speaking when met at the closing ceremony for the 2017 Sports Ministry’s Badminton talent camp, at the Paralympic Sports Excellence Complex in Pandan earlier today, Lokman said both the Games accounts can only be closed a year after being hosted, by August and September of next year.
"There are many other aspects and matters that need to be considered including sponsorships. With regards to the contractors, most of the payments have already been made. This matter also involves agreements in contracts signed about the scope of work that these contractors carried out.
"In the contracts, payment schedules for the contractors were included to concur with scope of work that was completed. It involves services and supplies carried out together with all the information handed in entirety to the Sports Ministry,” he said.
Lokman added contractors who handed in complete information and documentation such as invoices and supporting documents, payments would be made immediately to them.
"There are also contractors who are in the third, fourth and fifth stages though payments have not been completed because their claims have not reached the Sports Ministry and because of incomplete documentation. According to the contract agreement, the Sports Ministry should be given the benefit of the doubt so as to ensure there are no unnecessary losses incurred by the government.
"I wish to stress that for the issue highlighted on social media with regards to payments to artistes, the government, via the Sports Ministry, had appointed a company to manage and oversee their performances during the opening and closing ceremonies for the Sea Games and Asean Para Games.
"This company had signed an agreement with the Sports Ministry where they would manage all the programmes involving artistes. So the agreement is between the artistes and the company were given a mandate and trust for the opening and closing ceremonies of both Games,” he said.