PETALING JAYA, June 4 — The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has proposed the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) retake management of Harimau Malaya as part of reform recommendations in an audit of the national football governing body.
AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John said the proposal was included in recommendations submitted to FAM under a governance audit presented at the FAM extraordinary general meeting (EGM) here today.
He said the move would ensure management of the national team falls under a clear administrative structure with FAM’s National Team Committee.
“Return it to FAM. The National Team Committee should manage it, meaning FAM must be responsible for managing it, just as it did before,” he told reporters at the EGM.
Previously, the national team management underwent a restructuring, with Rob Friend appointed Harimau Malaya chief executive officer to strengthen the operation and development of the national squad.
Earlier, AFC presented an audit report on FAM’s administration, which formed the basis for proposed amendments to the association’s statutes to strengthen governance of the country’s football governing body.
The amendments proposed by AFC were unanimously approved by FAM affiliates.
Among the key proposals are the abolition of the deputy president’s post, the reduction of vice-president seats to three, and the restructuring of the FAM executive committee.
The audit also found room for improvement in most of FAM’s operational areas, across various administration and organisational management aspects.
The assessment covered 11 key areas — governance and legal affairs, administration, finance, human resources, infrastructure, communications, marketing, commercial development, advocacy, competitions, and performance development.
