The issue surfaced ahead of a council meeting tomorrow and has placed the national federation under renewed scrutiny, with questions mounting over timing, circulation and transparency.
At the centre of the dispute is correspondence from World Athletics that affiliates say raises questions over the eligibility of president Karim Ibrahim.
Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Perlis athletics associations have written to national authorities over the handling of key World Athletics letters.
The Negeri Sembilan Athletics Association says officials did not circulate the letters in full to council members despite their importance.
It says Malaysia Athletics received the first letter in January but failed to properly table it to the council.
Its president, Mark Ling, has called for full disclosure of all correspondence and clarity on who manages communication with World Athletics, and whether the council approved that arrangement.
Ling says council members could not access the documents even after formal requests.
He also says the matter never appeared in two earlier council meetings.
Negeri Sembilan has said it will not support any sanction linked to Karim’s eligibility.
It also objects to him remaining in office unless the World Athletics Vetting Panel clears him.
The association has also questioned how the constitution was applied. It says Karim was previously ruled ineligible by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
It points to a later constitutional amendment that introduced a five-year cap on disqualification periods. It says that change allowed Karim to return and win the presidency in June last year.
It has urged the sports commissioner and youth and sports ministry to step in and review the matter.
Melaka cites breach of trust
The Melaka Athletics Association has raised similar concerns and describes the handling of the correspondence as a breach of trust at leadership level.
Its president, Fadzil Bakar, says officials did not share the World Athletics letters with council members despite formal requests during the April 9 meeting.
Fadzil also points to a possible conflict of interest involving family ties between Karim and his daughter Nurhayati, the federation’s secretary-general.
He says this raises questions over independence in decision-making.
Melaka has called on the sports commissioner to act and wants full disclosure of all correspondence and a formal investigation into how officials handled the matter.
It also says Karim should not remain in office unless cleared by the World Athletics Vetting Panel.
The association warns that failure to resolve the issue could carry wider consequences, especially with Malaysia preparing for the 2027 SEA Games.
Perlis flags delay and limited access
The Perlis Athletics Association echoed the concerns and added further detail on how the matter unfolded.
The association is led by former Malaysia Athletics president Shahidan Kassim. Secretary Iyaru Muthusamy signed its letter.
Perlis says council members did not receive full access to the World Athletics correspondence. Instead, officials only read out the contents during meetings.
It also highlights delays in disclosure. It says Malaysia Athletics received the first letter in January but only brought it to the council in April.
The association says the delay raises serious concerns over how officials handled key governance documents and says it has damaged trust within the council.
It warns the issue could also affect Malaysia’s standing with World Athletics if it remains unresolved.
Pressure builds ahead of council meeting
All three affiliates have written to the sports commissioner Arrifin Ghani and youth and sports minister Dr Taufik Johari, and copied the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
They want a full review of how officials handled the matter and clearer rules for future communication with World Athletics.
Reform group RISE has also requested a meeting with the minister. It is calling for wider structural changes in how the federation operates.
Attention now shifts to tomorrow’s council meeting, where members are expected to press for answers.
The leadership now faces a direct test as pressure builds from inside and outside the federation.