BANGI — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will not have free rein in spending the RM15 million allocated under the Budget 2025 for sports.
Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh, reminded FAM to use the funds responsibly, particularly for the preparations of the senior squad, as well as the Under-18 (U-18) and Under-13 (U-13) teams.
She clarified that the allocation is strictly intended to strengthen the preparations of these three teams, including hiring quality experts to improve their results in next year’s international matches, and not to cover FAM’s operational expenses.
One of the major challenges for the senior teams in 2024 is qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup, with the third-round draw set for December.
Hannah further explained that the disbursement of funds will be closely supervised by both the Youth and Sports Ministry and Finance Ministry to prevent any misuse.
“The RM15 million will be overseen by both ministries. FAM cannot spend the money as they please or use it specifically to pay association salaries. It is allocated for the teams and coaches, and to boost performance.
“So, the RM15 million is not intended to cover FAM’s administrative costs,” said Hannah at the Youth and Sports Skills Training Institute (ILKBS) Convocation Ceremony in Bangi today.
Hannah also pointed out that the RM15 million is not additional funding but the same allocation previously announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in September.
“This is a special allocation announced by the prime minister to strengthen Harimau Malaya, as football remains the most popular sport in the country.
“FAM is scheduled to meet with the prime minister again. During their previous meeting, he outlined his expectations and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that must be achieved. He wants to see improvements in Harimau Malaya’s performance with this funding.
She added that FAM is now set to meet with the National Sports Council (NSC) to finalise how the RM15 million will be utilised. — October 19, 2024