Petaling jaya: Football legend Datuk Jamal Nasir Ismail emphasized the importance of granting newly elected Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan the time needed to demonstrate his leadership capabilities, given his extensive experience within the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Jamal highlighted Ab Ghani's background as both a former player and MFL president, suggesting that this experience equips him with the necessary understanding to manage Malaysian football effectively. Jamal expressed confidence that Ab Ghani is well-suited to address and rectify the weaknesses within the national governing body, stating, "I feel he is the most qualified person to ensure that whatever weaknesses have occurred all this while can be rectified and improved."
Ab Ghani was elected as FAM president after securing a majority of votes in the FAM Executive Committee Election for the remainder of the 2025-2029 term. He defeated Football Association of Selangor (FAS) deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar, garnering 20 votes against Shahril's five in the straight fight for the presidency at the Second FAM Extraordinary Congress 2026. This election was necessitated by the collective resignation of the previous FAM Executive Committee in January, following issues involving documents concerning seven Harimau Malaya players, which led to FIFA action against FAM and the players.
Jamal, a former national defender and ex-member of FAM's Technical and Youth Development Committee, described Ab Ghani as someone open to feedback for the betterment of Malaysian football. He advised the new leadership to first bolster Malaysia's position in Southeast Asian football before pursuing broader ambitions at the Asian level. He further urged for an increased focus on grassroots development to create a robust pipeline for the Harimau Malaya squad.
Local football observer Zakaria Rahim echoed the sentiment that Ab Ghani needs time to rebuild supporters' trust, following various issues that have impacted FAM. He emphasized the disappointment of Malaysian football fans regarding the events that led to the mass resignation of FAM Exco members, particularly concerning the national team. Zakaria advocated for the new FAM leadership to remain open to constructive criticism and called for greater transparency, especially regarding financial matters, to restore fans' confidence in FAM.
Zakaria also suggested that FAM should not rush to set excessively high targets, such as qualifying for the World Cup, but instead should focus on advancing as far as possible in the Asian qualifying campaign. Meanwhile, Ab Ghani announced his intention to step down as MFL president within a month to concentrate on his new role at FAM, with discussions underway to identify his successor and ensure the Malaysian League remains unaffected.