FOOTBALL IN CRISIS: Players played us out, says FAM president

KUALA LUMPUR: Even as the chorus of voices calling for change in the FAM increased, Sultan Ahmad Shah stood his ground.

"I am not a coward and I will not back out," the Football Association of Malaysia president said yesterday.

Saying the players had played out the FAM, he promised to raise the standard of Malaysian football again.

But three other FAM officials decided they have had enough. Independent council members Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Abdullah Hishan Hashim resigned, following in the footsteps of deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad who quit on Sunday.

General secretary Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad submitted his resignation in a letter dated July 4.
A former FAM vice-president, Ibrahim was appointed general secretary by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 2005.

Recently elected as an Olympic Council of Malaysia vice-president, Ibrahim was once also the Penang FA deputy president.

Khairy, in a faxed letter to the FAM, said he was resigning as it was Tengku Abdullah who had brought him into FAM.

"I am respecting the wishes and stand taken by Tengku Abdullah. The action taken is also a collective responsibility on the decline of Malaysian football." said Khairy.

Khairy was the chairman of FAM’s referees committee, a post he quit after he became the president of the UPB-MyTeam.

Hishan, president of Larut, Matang and Selama FA, has been an independent member for the last two terms.

It is likely that some other council members may quit in the next few days as public sentiment sinks in.

Football fans are clamouring for a change in the FAM, with some calling for the resignations of all officials.

The NST online edition, for instance, has been inundated with comments, almost all of which urging for an overhaul.

Tengku Abdullah said yesterday: "I have been with FAM for so long and feel that it’s time for new people (to take over)."

He said he would not reconsider his decision to quit.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said state football association officials who have been holding on to positions for too long without making any significant contribution should quit and allow fresh blood to take over.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said the system used by FAM had not produced the desired results and should be revamped.

Sultan Ahmad Shah, in saying he would not quit, promised to overhaul Malaysian football.

"Why should we resign? I am going to fight this battle and raise Malaysian football again.

"We are forming a task force whose responsibility will be to discuss the Asian Cup and what needs to be done to revive Malaysian football," he said at the RMAF base in Subang.

The task force, which Sultan Ahmad Shah will chair, will comprise FAM deputy president Datuk Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad and vice-presidents Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar and Datuk Anifah Aman.

Saying he had "been away for some time", Sultan Ahmad Shah added: "I can take constructive criticism and I don’t expect praises. Where was FAM in 1984 (when he took over as president)?

"We coped when we were going through financial difficulties. We managed to get our house in order but if there are people who can do better than what we have done, please come and take over. God bless them."

However, Sultan Ahmad Shah reiterated that he would not resign. He will offer himself for reelection at the FAM congress in September.

"I will leave it to the congress. If they want me to go, then I will go."

Asked about the resignation of Tengku Abdullah, he said: "Tengku Abdullah is very sad and hurt over what has transpired and he wants to take the blame.

"I thought he would announce his decision to quit at the congress. He is my son and if he is happy with the decision that he has made, I have to accept that."

At this point FAM vice-president Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar intervened to say that he and several other office bearers were trying to arrange a meeting with Tengku Abdullah as "the fault is not his alone".

This prompted Sultan Ahmad Shah to say: "I have brought millions into FAM and we have spent on the national team and coaches but the players played us out.

"I am devastated to see the results in the Asian Cup. They are damaging and I cannot take it.

"Nevertheless, there is going to be a general overhaul in the structure and system."