Football promoters must liaise with FAM first - Hamidin

With immediate effect, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) wants local football promoters intending to bring in foreign teams for friendly matches in Malaysia to liaise directly with them first.

FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said FAM was introducing the ruling to protect the interests of local fans and media.

"We will be issuing a set of standard operating procedures or guidelines on this matter shortly to all football promoters.

"This means, FAM will be the first to know about the visit of foreign teams before being made known to the media," he told reporters after FAM's 49th congress in the capital, Saturday.

The congress was opened by FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang. Also present were FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Hamidin said this in commenting on media reports that the local media were badly treated when Spanish football giants Barcelona FC came for a friendly with the national squad Harimau Malaya last week.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar had also expressed his displeasure on the poor treatment given to locals by the promoter on his Twitter site.

Commenting further, Hamidin said under the new ruling, it will also be compulsory for promoters to invite FAM representatives in their meetings and this would not be subject to only technical matters.

He said ill-treatment of local media had happened before and FAM did not want a repeat of the same in future.