How can one stay calm and watch the world go by, as a huge storm of controversy sweeps through, with claims and counter-claims dragging one's name through the mud?

Former Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin has managed to achieve that feat, and it seems that he is intent on sticking it out by keeping resolutely silent.

Since he was named as a key figure by FAS in a half a million dollars donation saga involving Tiong Bahru FC chairman Bill Ng and the FAS general secretary Winston Lee, he has been a man of few words.

As the plot thickens with Ng's latest rebuttal to Lee, which attempted to clear Zainudin's involvement in the saga, albeit without documentary evidence, the former FAS president's lack of desire to state his own account of events and clarify the situation has become downright bewildering.

Here are some example of his responses so far:

April 16

Straits Times: Zainudin could not be reached by press time.

April 18

Straits Times: When contacted by telephone last night, Zainudin did not answer but sent a text message saying: "Sorry, I can't talk right now."

Today: The former Member of Parliament who is now the deputy principal of ITE College East, would only say via text message to TODAY on Monday: “I have stepped down and have no comment to make. Please refer questions to FAS.”

April 19

Straits Times: When The Straits Times approached the former Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP, he said he is unaware of the latest developments and will not comment for now.

He said: "I already said I won't be commenting. I'm not running in the election."

When ST asked him if he wanted to see the documents surfaced by Mr Lee, the former FAS chief said he was tired and declined.

Today: He did not reply to TODAY’s phone calls, text messages and emails by press time on Tuesday.

The upcoming FAS council election is set to be held on Apr. 29, and this issue threatens to engulf the legitimacy of the outcome if it remains unresolved.

For someone who has helmed the top footballing body in Singapore for seven years from 2009 to 2016, Zainudin's reticence and posturing as a disinterested bystander, oblivious to what has been happening, can be interpreted as someone who may have something to hide.

As a former MP, who espoused democratic values, he must surely believe in the need to be accountable.

The situation has reached a point where Zainudin will have no choice but to come out of his shell and account to the media and the public.

1. Lee said the donation was a matter between Zainudin and Ng, but Ng said he has never dealt with Zainudin on the matter. So who is telling the truth? Why isn't the key man - Zainudin - coming out to clarify things once and for all?

2. Did Zainudin play a role in facilitating the donations to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)? If he did, what was hs role?

3. What was the decision-making process, in deciding to channel the donations to a regional body, instead of funding local football?

4. Is Zainudin still speaking to Lee and Ng?

How about a press conference to clear up this sorry mess?

Related articles:

Bill Ng releases bombshell: Winston Lee was the one who prepared the “smoking gun” letter

Finally, a newspaper mentioned the “C” word in the AFF/Bill Ng/FAS donations saga

Top photo from Zainudin Nordin's Facebook page

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