Persatuan Bolasepak Negeri (FA) officials who have been holding on to positions for too long without any significant contribution should vacate their posts and allow a flow of fresh blood into the system, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.
“The state FAs must look at themselves in the mirror because the Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia can set the policies but if not carried out or implemented by the states, then they are also to be blamed.
“Some state FA heads or officials have been holding on to their posts for too long without any significant contribution towards the development of football in the country and they should make way for new energetic young professionals,” Azalina told Bernama today.
Azalina was responding to Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s resignation yesterday.
Malaysia, playing in and hosting Group C, lost their opening match 1-5 to China on July 10 and suffered another 0-5 defeat to Uzbekistan on Saturday.
Tengku Abdullah’s decision is expected to spark a number of resignations in the governing body for football in the country.
Meanwhile, Sports Commissioner Tan Sri Elyas Omar echoed a similar sentiment saying that developing football was not the sole responsibility of Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia but rather, a combined effort by everybody.
“In the past 20 years, our country has leap-frogged other countries in the Asean region as far as the development of infrastructure, economy, education and many other areas are concerned but on the other hand, these countries, who lag behind in these areas, seem to have overtaken our country in the development of football.
“If we can progress in the development of economy or other areas, I don’t see why we cannot develop football in the country. If may not be a difficult task but it needs a meticulous structure and effort from all the authorities,”
after edit
