PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohd Taufiq Johari is as disappointed as the fans with Harimau Malaya's drop in the world rankings.
Malaysia have dropped 14 places from the 121st to 135th placing in the latest FIFA rankings.
Taufiq said he shared the disappointment of Malaysians, particularly football fans, over the rankings drop and the controversies surrounding the national team in recent months.
"All parties must treat this as a lesson, and efforts to strengthen national football must be intensified. Appropriate measures must be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur," he said.
He added that football development, particularly at the grassroots level, must continue, and urged Malaysians to maintain their support for the sport.
The decline follows a decision by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to nullify Harimau Malaya’s two victories in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, against Vietnam and Nepal, due to issues involving heritage players in the national squad.
Currently, seven players are serving a 12-month ban by FIFA.
Taufiq said his ministry, through the National Sports Council (NSC), will continue to prioritise the empowerment and development of local talent via the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), with FAM serving as a strategic partner.
"I also hope all parties will give FAM the space, with assistance from the AFC, to identify and implement the necessary internal reforms, including convening a congress to elect a new leadership lineup," he said.
He stressed that NSC are not involved in the process and through the Office of the Sports Commissioner, will continue to monitor FAM’s compliance with their constitutional provisions as well as the requirements under the Sports Development Act (Act 576).
