PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh expressed confidence that the Football Association of Malaysia would overcome its current leadership issue without affecting national football development programmes.
She stated that leadership changes in sports associations are common occurrences rather than crises requiring external intervention.
Yeoh emphasised that FAM possesses internal mechanisms to resolve such matters effectively based on its experience handling greater challenges previously.
“They already have an acting president and all programmes are still ongoing,“ she told reporters after attending the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship at Sri KL International School.
She urged FAM to select a new president capable of providing stable long-term leadership for Malaysian football.
The minister stressed that the leadership situation must not be allowed to prolong unnecessarily given ongoing national projects between her ministry and FAM.
Yeoh revealed she had contacted FAM honorary president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin regarding the National Football Development Project’s transition phase from the National Sports Council to FAM.
She also highlighted the importance of continuing the National Training Centre project in Putrajaya without disruption despite the leadership change.
The minister acknowledged football’s fortunate position in having the Regent of Johor contributing significantly to the sport’s development nationwide.
FAM confirmed last Wednesday that Datuk Mohd Joehari Mohd Ayub resigned after approximately six months as president through a recently submitted letter.
The association subsequently appointed deputy president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi as acting president with immediate effect following the resignation.
Mohd Yusoff explained during a press conference that the resignation represented a personal decision without any external influence or “unseen hand” involved.
Separately, Yeoh allocated a twenty thousand ringgit special grant to the Malaysian Scrabble Association to promote the game across all age groups nationwide.
She described scrabble as an affordable game requiring minimal facilities while being suitable for inclusion in future Masters Games competitions.
The 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship features two hundred twenty five participants from various countries including forty Malaysian competitors until Monday. – Bernama
