KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Paralympic Council (PCM) president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin has again expressed his intention to contest the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) presidency following the recent collective resignation of the association’s executive committee members.
Megat D Shahriman said his decision was not driven by any particular interest group, but by the voices of football fans and the wider public who want meaningful change in the management of FAM.
He said his experience leading the PCM, and the achievements recorded under his leadership, showed that a team-based leadership approach can bring about reform and results.
“I am offering myself because I do not belong to anyone. Football belongs to the people, and I am part of the people. What fans want is a fresh face, someone who can carry out reforms and restructure FAM, and I am one of those people.
“In Para sports, we succeeded by working as a team, and the results speak for themselves. I have proven that this formula works, and it can be applied in FAM,” he told Bernama when contacted.
Megat D Shahriman, who is also a board member of the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football, said he would continue to prioritise the views of football fans.
“I am nobody’s puppet. I listen to the grassroots and the fans. I am also a football fan, even if I do not show it openly,” he said.
Commenting on suggestions for Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to be reappointed as FAM president, Megat said the Sultan of Pahang would be an excellent candidate, but added that FAM’s current image made such a move inappropriate.
“I agree that Tuanku is a very good candidate, but placing him in an organisation whose image has been damaged internationally would not be right. He should be protected and not linked to the current turmoil,” he said.
Al-Sultan Abdullah served as FAM president from 2014 to 2017.
Meanwhile, Megat said genuine reform can only take place if led by individuals who are committed and prepared to take responsibility, adding that rebuilding FAM cannot be done half-heartedly or selectively.
“Even if someone was not directly involved, they are still part of the team. Choosing responsibility selectively shows a lack of commitment and concern for football from the start,” he said.
Megat D Shahriman had previously announced his intention to contest the FAM presidency at last year’s election congress, but later withdrew due to time constraints.
Under FAM statutes, presidential candidates must secure at least six nominations from affiliate members to qualify.
Last month, all FAM executive committee members for the 2025–2029 term resigned collectively with immediate effect, citing the need to safeguard the association’s integrity amid an ongoing crisis.
The crisis began in September last year after FIFA confirmed that FAM and seven players, namely Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Manchuca, Jodo Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel, had breached Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. – BERNAMA
