Photo: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin has made it clear – he has no interest in contesting for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) presidency.
Instead, the former youth and sports minister believes the national body should first resolve their leadership issue and seek guidance from the Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim before charting the next course.
“I’m not interested in the presidency of FAM,” he said after officiating the Eco Lifestyle Med Health Centre launch at Wisma Hong Leong yesterday.
“I’m simply someone involved in sports, someone with experience.
“I advise Johor, I share my views, and I observe. Johor are the gold standard in terms of funding, structure and facilities.
“Right now, there isn’t even a proper president at FAM, only an acting one. They need to sort out their leadership issues first, seek advice from TMJ, and then decide what’s next,” said Khairy.
Datuk Joehari Ayub resigned from his position as FAM president last month, a move that surprised many as he was just six months into his job.
Deputy president Datuk Yusoff Mahadi will hold the acting president’s post until the FAM congress next year.
Khairy, who also played a key role in rebranding the National Football Development Programme ( DP) during his tenure, insisted the initiative should remain under the National Sports Council (NSC) as FAM were not ready to assume full responsibility.
“When I first started the DP, the programme already existed, but there was nothing in place for its actual development. We built the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) in Pahang, along with Academy Tunas and district-level centres. We had a structure and were entering the second phase.”
The DP’s first phase was designed to run for 10 years before being handed over to state football associations, but Khairy said the transition stalled after he departed from the ministry.
“If there had been continuous investment and proper funding, perhaps by now it could have been fully handed over. But if FAM want to take over, they must show financial capability.
“If they’re relying on government funds, then DP should remain under NSC in partnership with FAM,” he added.
Khairy also questioned whether state FAs were ready for such responsibility, noting that while Johor and Selangor had strong development systems, many other states struggled to even field competitive teams.
“FAM must think carefully before asking to take over DP. If they only want it because of the budget but cannot execute the programme, it won’t work,” he stressed.
On the appointment of a new technical director, Khairy said it should be a joint decision between FAM and NSC to ensure alignment with Harimau Malaya’s football philosophy.
“It’s about finding the right candidate who understands the DNA and direction of the national team (Harimau Malaya).”
