Kuala lumpur: Two affiliates of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have defended the existence of the FAM Honorary President's position following statements regarding the status of the post in the governing body's proposed new statutes. Penang Football Association President Mohd Azizudin Mohd Shariff expressed surprise at a statement made by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General-Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, who reportedly indicated that the position of Honorary President is no longer relevant and is not practiced by the world governing body.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Azizudin stated that the new draft statutes distributed to FAM affiliate members last week still include the position of Honorary President within the FAM organisational structure. He emphasized that the statutes are the result of a reform process implemented with the involvement and guidance of the AFC itself. The provision for the position is still clearly contained in the draft statutes proposed for approval by the Congress, he noted.
Mohd Azizudin argued that the position of Honorary President should be retained as it symbolizes the highest mark of respect awarded to specific individuals. Currently, the position is held by Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin, the former FAM president from 2018 to 2025, who was appointed as Honorary President at the FAM Extraordinary General Meeting in June, following his decision not to defend his post at the governing body's Congress meeting in February last year.
Meanwhile, Melaka Football Association Deputy President Datuk Mohd Saiful Mat Sapri, in a separate statement, confirmed that Hamidin's appointment as FAM Honorary President had been legally approved by affiliate members through the 2025 FAM Extraordinary General Meeting. He cautioned that any assumption that the position would be "dropped" is inaccurate and could lead to confusion among affiliate members and national football stakeholders.
Yesterday, Windsor was reported to have stated that the AFC has proposed 94 articles in the draft of the new 2026 FAM statutes, which will be presented at the governing body's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) this Thursday. According to Windsor, the AFC opted not to include the Honorary President position in the proposed new statutes, stating that the role is no longer relevant in modern football governance and is not practiced by major football governing bodies, including the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).