FAM's contentious Article 88 amended

The FA of Malaysia's (FAM) 49th congress held yesterday finally saw its contentious Article 88 amended.

Following the amendent, besides the president and secretary-general, other FAM officials will also be allowed to make media statements on the football governing body in the country.

FAM vice-president Datuk Afandi Hamzah in disclosing this to the media after the congress, said the officials, however, were subject to several conditions and rules stipulated by FAM's Executive Committee (EC).

"The EC will come up with a list of guidelines on dealing with the media before it is circulated to FAM's affiliates so that no more problems arise regarding Article 88," he said.

The congress was opened by FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang. Also present were FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.

Afandi, who is also FAM's Local Competitions Committee chairman, said the delegates to the congress also agreed to amend FAM's Article 68 which disallows any affiliate or player from pursuing legal action concerning football in the country directly to the courts.

He said with the change, they would first have to refer their cases to a sub-committee in FAM for a resolution before resorting to the courts.

"If they continue to be adamant and go directly to the court, action wil be taken under Article 68 (maximum life suspension)...However, they will be given a chance to appeal," he said.

On other matters, Afandi said the congress also approved a proposal to move Wisma FAM from Petaling Jaya to Putrajaya, as had been announced by Sultan Ahmad Shah recently.

He said a 7.69-hectare site had been identified in the federal administrative capital for FAM's building there as well as that of the Asean Football Federation.

"We hope once the two builings are completed, Malaysia can be a football hub in Asia...The cost has yet to be determined because we have to study several matters in more detail first," he said.