First To Go Part Two

Tengku Mahkota Pahang Resigns

KUALA LUMPUR: The atrocious performance of the national football team claimed its first casualty yesterday.

The Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, has tendered his resignation as deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

"It is with deep regret that I would like to inform you that I have decided to resign from all my positions in the FAM effective today (yesterday)," he said in the letter, signed by his personal secretary Datuk Zainal Abidin Abu Bakar, to FAM secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad.

In the three-paragraph letter, he thanked Ibrahim and staff for their support but did not give any reason for the resignation. It would appear that he has read the mood of Malaysians.

They are yearning to see Malaysia, which once had the strongest team in Southeast Asia, win at least one important match.

His resignation comes on the heels of a 5-0 humiliation suffered by the national team at the feet of Uzbekistan on Saturday in an Asian Cup game.

On Tuesday, China handed Malaysia a 5-1 drubbing. Abdullah apologised to fans for the team’s listless performance.

Over the past 10 years, the performance could only be described as an embarrassment. Malaysia is the last ranked team in the Asian Cup. It is ranked 149 in the Fifa world rankings.

It is likely more FAM officials will either resign or decline to contest at the FAM annual congress in September.

Sources said Tengku Abdullah and FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah had, even before the Asian Cup tournament, decided to step down at the congress.

There is talk that another royal will take over as FAM head. A young politician is said to be the likely candidate for the deputy presidency.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman and several FAM council members expressed shock over Tengku Abdullah’s decision.

"Tengku Abdullah alone is not responsible for the state football is in today nor Malaysia’s defeats in the (ongoing) Asian Cup," Azalina said yesterday.

"It is a collective responsibility. We are losing a capable leader but I believe that he has made the right decision after giving it a great deal of thought. I hope this makes football officials take notice and some positive results will come out of this whole episode."

Another deputy president, Datuk Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad, felt Tengku Abdullah should have waited for the FAM congress before making his decision.

"Yes, he had indicated to us (his decision to quit) for quite some time, but he could have waited until the congress. I am sure he would have given it serious thought before making his decision," he said.

FAM vice-president Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin said: "I am shocked that he resigned. This is not acceptable because it’s not his fault alone. I am seeking an appointment with him to try and persuade him to stay on. I will ask the general secretary to call for an emergency executive council meeting on this matter."

National team manager and vice-president Datuk Anifah Aman said: "Tengku Abdullah alone is not responsible for the state of football in the country. We have a collective responsibility.

"We must face the reality that we can’t go far with the present batch of national players. We must start grassroots development again."
Taken from The New Straits Times