Media urged to be cautious when reporting about TMJ

The FAM in a statement said all reports related to Tunku Ismail should be referred to the Istana Johor for clearance, as per a directive from the Johor royalty, Monday.

The FAM said a number of media reports released by local media recently, especially those related to football, were based on assumption and unfounded.

"A number of dailies have regularly released speculative reports. Such reports have led to a non favourable situation for football in the country," said the FAM in a statement, Monday.

Tunku Ismail was earlier handed a six month suspension effective March 8, and fined RM18,000 by the FAM Disciplinary Committee, for criticising the standard of refereeing in the M-League.

The Johor FA President was embroiled in another controversy when he was alleged to have sat on the reserve bench during Johor Darul Takzim FC's Super League match against Terengganu at the Tan Sri Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin on March 30, although he was still serving the suspension.

Last Wednesday, Tunku Ismail announced his decision to step down as the Johor FA President, a decision which received the consent of the Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan of Johor.

Tunku Ismail had said that his decision to step down was to focus on his duties as the Tunku Mahkota and not be bound by FAM's constitutional law.