It has been a long standing tradition for the ASEAN Chess Confederation (ACC) to hold a Board Meeting during its flagship event - the ASEAN Age Group Championships.
So, this year, leaders and representatives from ACC members Federations came together at 10 a.m. on 15 June 2008 in HAGL Plaza Hotel, Danang, Vietnam.
President Ignatius Leong welcomed members for taking time out and to make the long journey and expressed pleasure that ACC is stronger than ever after 9 years of existence. Following this the minutes of the previous minutes were read following which Deputy President Prospero Pichay proposed adoption and he was was seconded by Secretary General Sebastian Simanjuntak.
The item of note arising from the minutes was a request to the Thailand representative Thanit Chirananchavat to have his federation formally confirm resignation of the former second Deputy President and to nominate a Vice President.
Host & Vice President Mr Dang Tat Thang also welcomed all to Danang and Vietnam.
Reports were made on the successful Grand Prix - the meeting noted in particular the enormous contribution of the Philippines with 4 Opens and also the commitment to have 4 Opens each year for the next two years. Deputy President Pichay, also the NCFP President informed the meeting that NCFP had entered into a contract with Intchess Asia to be signed at the close of the meeting to outsource Event Management of all its International Competitions in this period so as to free the NCFP to concentrate on popularising and the game and developing talent throughout the Philippines while of course also nurturing and supporting their grandmasters and national team members.
More important perhaps was that the ASEAN Grand Prix would be renamed the Asia Pro Tour Circuit and expanded to allow nations like China, India, Macau and Korea to participate.
The report of the ASEAN Masters Circuit in Tarakan was also warmly applauded and the efforts of Singapore to contribute a Mixed tournament and Vietnam to hold the Danang IM tournament also noted. Regrettably, given the focus of Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia on GM events, unless Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei would reach a point where they could produce IMs, the ASEAN Masters Circuit would be put on hold.
On Youth events, the ASEAN Age Groups had record entries of 350 players this year and the meeting affirmed the direction to expand the event last year to include select non-ASEAN nations. Thailand was also thanked for sending their first ever overseas team and the renewed support from Brunei and Malaysia noted.
Director At Large Mr Edmund Santhara sent his apologies for being unable to attend and reaffirmed his company's commitment to the ASEAN Youth (U-9, U-12, U-15) Team Championship. However due to date congestion it was agreed that the event be postponed to 2009 and perhaps held every two years unless Brunei or Thailand found it to be strategic to their development of chess in schools programs as has been the Malaysia experience and wished to have it in December this year.
The meeting confirmed the ACC Secretariat would stay in Malaysia for another year and after confirming a new financial structure based on entry fees and levies on events, also approved the budget presented by Executive Director. The role of the Secretariat was further expanded to be a "mini FIDE", providing a framework for cooperation and guidelines for members as regards hosting and participation in ACC events.
A new membership category - that of associate member was approved and it was agreed that countries which had similar values and objectives as the ACC would be offered provision membership and after one year be confirmed as associate members.
Following the lead of the NCFP on outsourcing, a lively debate took place with the agreement of the meeting on the proposal of Treasurer Maung Maung Lwin seconded by Deputy President Pichay for ACC events to be subject to a bid process presented by the Executive Director and managed by Intchess Asia following guidelines provided by ACC to be provided by Secretary General Simanjuntak. Federations were also encouraged to be more responsive to ensure there was a timely and accurate calendar of events and the Asian Chess Federation asked via its representative Casto Abundo to try and avoid clashes of dates where ACC had published well in advance and there was a mutual interest and benefit not to do so.
Then meeting finally reviewed the strategic proposal of Secretary General Simanjuntak for an ASEAN Club League Championship and this was particularly well received as direct participation of social/leisure/chess clubs have been a largely untapped resource for the development of the game.
It was agreed that this should kick-off in December 2008 and bids would be formally invited to organise a preminary 9 round swiss championship from the results which participating clubs would be then divided into two separate divisions for 2009.
