SINGAPORE: The Singapore Shooting Association (SSA) has expelled the Singapore Rifle Association (SRA) as its constituent ordinary member.
In a media release on Saturday (Dec 10), the national shooting authority said it had voted at its Extraordinary General Meeting to expel the SRA, stating that the SRA “no longer has the best interest of the shooting fraternity at heart, and adjudges it as an organization that is not in good standing with SSA.”
It added that SRA representatives were present at the meeting, which was held on Saturday.
The SSA said that over the past 18 months, the SRA has consistently demonstrated that it does not agree with SSA on various key issues, and has persistently undermined SSA’s work as the national shooting authority.
“Through its numerous actions including pursuing legal action against SSA and its officials, and its refusal to comply with duly passed SSA Council resolutions and settle overdue payments owed to SSA, SRA has attempted to weaken SSA by distracting it from its mission and draining its limited financial resources,” it added.
LEGAL TUSSLE
In February, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) had seized firearms from the SRA and Singapore Gun Club due to “serious licensing irregularities.” More than 70 guns, which belonged to members who had died, quit the clubs or left Singapore, had no proper records. Sport Singapore later ordered the closure of the National Shooting Centre due to the irregularities.
According to a TODAY newspaper report, a legal tussle subsequently ensued between the SSA and SRA over the armoury. In May, the SRA filed a suit in the High Court against the national governing body for allegedly breaching the Constitution and attempting to suspend the SRA’s privileges, TODAY reported.
In the media release, SSA said the guns and ammunition belonging to SRA and its members are currently locked up in one of the armouries at the National Shooting Centre, under the direction of the SPF and Sport Singapore, and the arrangement will remain “until further notice by the authorities.” Police investigations into the guns seized in February are still ongoing, it added.
SSA added that the SRA has been offered an option which it would need to exercise within the next 14 days to be considered for re-admittance into SSA as an associate member with no voting rights. This is under the condition that the SRA ceases all legal action against the SSA and its officials, and that it settles all its dues immediately.
- CNA/lc