Timely move by FAM to get MACC monitor football stakeholders - Khairy

The move by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to call on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to monitor all players, referees and officers involved in the Malaysia League has been described as a timely and proactive step to eradicate corruption.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin described FAM president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim's move to hand over a list of names for monitoring by MACC as a step in the right direction.

"We see FAM taking proactive measures in that it did not wait for investigations but took the initiative to send the list of people under observation to facilitate MACC's initial investigations," he told reporters after presenting prizes to winners of the Kelantan International Half Marathon 2017 at the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) here today.

Khairy was commenting on press reports on the move by Tunku Ismail to get MACC to monitor players, referees and officers involved in the Malaysia League when the issue of match fixing reared its ugly head to tarnish the image of football in the country.

Tunku Ismail also handed over a list of names and personal details of players, referees and officers to the MACC.

In efforts to ensure corruption did not spread to other sports associations, Khairy said the ministry had sent a clear signal to all sports association that no one would be spared if they were found to be linked to corruption.

"Recently, we held a programme with MACC through the Sports Commissioner''s Office and took a pledge to be corruption-free." he added.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the Kelantan International Half Marathon (KIHM) which was held for the first time in the state would be made into an annual event in Kelantan.

He said the organising of the sports event was in line with the efforts of the ministry to promote a healthy lifestyle and a love for sports among the people in this state.

KIHM which offered an overall prize of RM80,000, attracted about 8,000 local and foreign runners .

The race was flagged off by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

-- BERNAMA