KJ, TMJ should consider running for FAM presidency - Velappan

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Crown Prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim are among the suitable candidates to solve the leadership fiasco in the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-seneral Datuk Peter Velappan however, feels that both should not run for the president's post which fell vacant after its incumbent Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah resigned.

He opined the highest position in the national football body should be administrated by someone who has a huge passion on Malaysian football and has vast experience in sports management.

"We should return the football to where it belongs, 'the rakyat'. No politician, no minister or royalties should run. There are many people out there who are passionately involved in football," he told Bernama, today.

On the same page is current AFC secretary-general Datuk Windsor Paul John who opined that Khairy can continue to run for the post as long as the FAM's statue allowed the Rembau MP to do so.

"In case of FAM, they should look back at its statue whether it allowd the politician to run for any post within FAM. Khairy's nomination for the post is still pending as the FAM secretariat has not decided on the final list of candidates," he added.

He also asserted that Khairy must get the approval from the Cabinet before he can proceed to run for the post in line with the government rules.

The Cabinet had barred the all cabinet ministers from contesting for position in any sports associations, unless they get approval from the Prime Minister and cabinet members.

Besides Khairy and Tunku Ismail, former Home Ministry secretary-general, Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat and also former Kelantan Football Association president, Tan Sri Annuar Musa were also nominated to run the FAM President post.

The candidates who received nominations must made decide whether to contest or not before the deadline on Feb 13. The final list of candidates will be tabled during the FAM Exco meeting before announced to the media on Feb 20.

For the record, former prime ministers -- Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra and Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and former defence minister Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah used to bbe the FAM president.

In Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Football Association (NSFA) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan the new FAM president should be able to take Malaysian football to a respectable level.

"We have to elect those who can really lead, not someone whom we like. We have to elect a specialist in the field," he said commenting on the election for the post of FAM president. - BERNAMA