THE MALAYSIAN KENNEL ASSOCIATION

CODE OF ETHICS & RULES CONCERNING ALL MKA LICENSED JUDGES

PART I - GENERAL BEHAVIOUR OF JUDGES

1. Judges must behave ethically and professionally, beyond reproach, while officiating at a show, in the capacity as the invited judge. They shall act in a polite manner whilst carrying out each judging assignment.
2. Judges should never be late for a judging appointment, nor should they leave the showgrounds before they have completed the duties assigned to them.
3. Judges shall present himself/herself in attire that is acceptable, appropriate and comfortable for each judging assignment, nor shall not solicit or seek entry of any particular dog or dogs.
4. Judges must not smoke nor drink alcohol in the ring.
5. Judges must not use a mobile phone in the ring while judging. If breed standards or Rules contained on their mobile devices needs to be verified, they should inform their steward and have them witness the matter being verified.
6. Judges shall give every exhibit and exhibitor fair and equal opportunity in each and every class.
7. Judges must judge exhibits in accordance with the relevant breed standard or Rules & Regulations of the country of the inviting club.
8. Judges must never solicit judging appointments.
9. Judges must not enter a dog nor handle a dog at a show where they are officiating as judges.
10. Should an exhibitor offer information to the Judge that may be regarded as designed to influence the Judge, the Judge shall excuse the exhibitor and their exhibit from competition and report the incident.
11. Should a Judge be approached to favour or disfavour a particular exhibit the matter is to be reported to the inviting governing body.
12. Should a Judge be approached with an inducement and/or bribe to advantage or disadvantage an exhibit the Judge is to report the matter in writing to the inviting governing body.
13. If in the judging procedures an exhibit displays an obvious physical impediment or is unable to be handled or can be regarded as savage or vicious the exhibit should be excused from the competition, in accordance with the Member Body rules/regulations.
14. Judges shall not criticise by act or word the work of other judges, nor offer criticism of any previously judged dog(s) to anyone including other officiating judges during the course of the show. Except for authorised ringside mentoring.
15. Judges and Trainee Judges must not participate at events organised by associations that are not recognised by the MKA/FCI unless they receive prior written permission from the MKA. These are not limited to but include all events where titles and awards are handed out to the winners. Judges who fail to observe this rule are subject to suspension of their judging licence, pending an investigation by the MKA.

PART II - ACCEPTANCE OF ASSIGNMENTS

1. Judges are not allowed to judge at events that are not recognised by the MKA/FCI unless they receive prior written permission from the MKA. Judges who fail to observe this rule are subject to suspension of their judging licence, pending an investigation. It is the judges’ responsibility to ascertain whether an event comes under the jurisdiction of the MKA/FCI.
2. Judges must never agree to judge a Breed/Class/Category for which they are not licensed by the MKA. This applies to all levels of judging including Best in Group and Best in Show.
3. Judges going overseas for the first time to judge a particular breed, group, level or class, need to obtain written permission from the MKA before accepting any such invitation. Those have already obtained prior initial permission to judge a particular breed, group, level or class, thereafter only need inform the MKA of an overseas invitation. Every new breed, group, level or class thereafter for an overseas assignment, still requires written approval from the MKA.
4. If an invitation to judge at an MKA event precedes notification by the judge of an overseas assignment, the MKA event will take priority, even if the date of the overseas invitation comes prior to the date of the MKA invitation. It is the responsibility of Judges to inform the MKA of an overseas invitation as soon as possible so they are not allocated to officiate at local events.
5. Judges shall complete all the requirements of the judging contract promptly. Any verbal acceptance of an assignment by a Judge shall be subject to the receipt of the contract.
6. Judges who are entitled to reimbursement of any expenses related to a judging assignment must never attempt to charge twice for such expenses. Judges who fail to observe this rule will be subject to severe penalties.
7. Judges shall honour each contract and will not be free to accept an alternative contract that will affect his or her availability to fulfil the original contract except with the written dispensation of the contracting Club.
8. Judges who withdraw from any contracted appointment for any reason shall not be permitted to judge at any other canine event wherever held on any date that would prevent him/her from attending the originally contracted event, unless dispensation has been granted by the original inviting club.

PART III - TRAINEE JUDGES REQUIREMENTS

All trainee judges are required to fulfil their yearly mandatory Stewarding or Show Management assignment to remain in the MKA Trainee Judges program. It is the responsibility of the Trainee Judges to volunteer themselves for these assignments. Those failing to fulfil these stewarding assignments will not be allowed to progress further until they fulfil their stewarding assignments prior to theory or practical exams. As a Trainee judge you are also expected to have an ongoing participation or involvement in your chosen field. Failure to do so may render you ineligible to proceed in the MKA Trainee Judges program.

PART IV - QUALIFICATION FOR LAPSED JUDGES

Judges who have been approved by the MKA but have not judged in the previous 5 years may be required by the Association to pass a practical test to verify their knowledge in the breed or breeds which they were previously authorised to judge OR in the case of Dog Sports or Grooming Judges, they must attend a seminar or lecture to refresh themselves of the latest MKA Rules & Regulations.

PART V - GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS TO ENROL FOR MKA TRAINEE JUDGES PROGRAM

1. Must be a citizen or Permanent Resident of Malaysia.
2. Must be at least 18 years of age.
3. Must have been a member of MKA for a minimum of 5 years.
4. Must be actively involved with MKA organised events in the chosen discipline as a steward, helper or exhibitor.

Each individual MKA Trainee Judges programs have additional other more specific qualifications that are required to be met for entrance into our training programs.

(Revised October 2018)