FAM is not an army batallion - Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan Football Association (KAFA) advisor Tan Sri Annuar Musa chided Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad for running the administration of the national body like an army general.

The former FAM deputy president said the problems within the FAM was because the retired lieutenant-general still thinks he was serving in the army, although he had retired a long time ago.

"The FAM is not an army battalion but a unique association. In the FAM there is an exco which is elected and in football there are stakeholders, including supporters, fans, sponsors, ministry, affiliated members and other relevant bodies and totally different from the army," he said in his Facebook posting today.

The regimented style of the former director of Military Intelligence in defending the FAM from any criticism has resulted in three state FA presidents suspended for their alleged criticism against the national body.

The three are Annuar himself as the President of KAFA, Johor FA President Tunku Ismail Idris Sultan Ibrahim and Perlis FA President Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

The action by the FAM to suspend the trio has not gone down well among state affiliates and football fraternity in the country.

Annuar said the post of FAM secretary-general is not elected but an appointed post with a paid salary.

"Therefore, the secretary-general is not only answerable to the President but to the entire development of football in the country because in the absence of the congress and exco, the FAM secretariat is responsible," he said.

Annuar also questioned the need for the FAM secretariat to employ 70 to 80 staff unlike the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) which has less than 10 staff but still considered a world class administration.

"What does not make sense is that some of the staff are paid salary that is even higher than that of a general while some are paid even higher than a minister," he said.

The administration and management cost of the FAM runs into millions while state FAs remain cash-strapped because most of the sponsors money or broadcasting rights does not reach the state FA.

"The Malaysian Super League (MSL) was closed down but the FAM secretariat added its departments, resulting in more money spent and no money to spare for the affiliates," he said.

Annuar said Malaysian football was facing a major financial problem but unfortunately the FAM secretariat had chosen to ignore the fact and it is the FAM President who has to shoulder all the responsibility.

"Though three State FA presidents have been suspended, voices of discontentment will continue to be raised and heard because FAM is not ATM (Armed Forces Malaysia)," he said.