Former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin, the man who had maintained a conspicuous low profile despite the storm engulfing the local football fraternity, finally broke his silence on Saturday (April 22).

In his response to Today, the 53 year old current deputy principal (development) of ITE College East categorically denied having a business relationship with Hougang United and Tiong Bahru FC (TBFC) chairman Bill Ng.

Earlier reports in the media had highlighted their close ties:

a) Last June, Zainudin was endorsed by Ng as the next TBFC chairman and had been voted in the post

b) Zainudin was also listed as a director on the website of private equity firm ESW Manage, which is a sponsor of Hougang United. ESW was also previously listed as a company under the portfolio of Financial Frontiers, a private equity firm founded by Ng.

Zainudin’s comments came in the wake of the news of him being questioned by the Commercial Affairs Department, in addition to the current FAS general secretary Winston Lee, Ng and Bonnie Wong, who is believed to be Ng's wife, over the alleged misuse of funds at TBFC and attempts to block club audits.

This was what Zainudin told Today:

“I was appointed as advisor to ESW Manage in January 2017.

My role is to advise ESW on their CSR work. This appointment was after my stepping down as President of FAS (in November 2016).

I turned down the offer to be chairman of TBFC. Mr Bill Ng and I are not business partners and we do not have any business dealings.”

He also further explained why he had not spoken out earlier:

“I had all this while hoped that the election will proceed smoothly and fairly, and thus chose not to make any statements.

As things had turned out, I am now giving the authorities all the help for their investigations and I will do everything to help put this behind us. My wish is for Singapore soccer to do well which has been my passion and devotion all these years.”

Sport Singapore (SportSG) had filed a police report on April 19 against TBFC for suspected misuse of club funds, as well as to investigate allegations of an attempt by a senior official - understood to be Ng - to obstruct the completing of audits of three S.League sit-out clubs.

The report prompted a dramatic police raid on the FAS, and the clubhouses of three football clubs - Hougang United, TBFC, and Woodlands Wellington FC (WWFC) the next day.

The FAS elections remains on track for April 29, despite the ongoing saga. 44 FAS affiliate will vote for the sport’s top leaders, in a contest where Ng’s Team Game Changers will face off against Team LKT led by former FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong.

Related articles:

Football Donation Saga: Former FAS president Zainudin’s silence is deafening

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

Football Drama: More questions for the FAS before the upcoming election.

Football leadership elections: Power, “donations” and much intrigue revealed in the campaign

Top photo from FAS

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