Abolishing honorary president role in FAM relevant: Football observer

An observer of Malaysian football, Dr. Zulakbal Abd. Karim, has voiced support for the proposed abolition of the honorary president position within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). He believes this change is relevant for preventing confusion and avoiding the situation of having two leaders within a single organization.

Dr. Zulakbal stated that the existence of an honorary president could lead to a scenario of "two captains in one ship," potentially hindering administrative processes and decision-making. He trusts that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), as the governing body for Asian football, has strong reasons for its proposal, aiming to ensure national football development aligns with modern governance practices.

"I believe what AFC is proposing is the view of stakeholders who want to see football progress," Dr. Zulakbal told Utusan Malaysia. "In my opinion, the position of honorary president should be abolished to prevent one ship from having two captains. What AFC says is indeed correct."

Furthermore, Dr. Zulakbal expressed his support for the AFC's recommendation to decrease the number of FAM executive committee (Exco) members from 17 to 11. He described this move as part of efforts to streamline FAM's administrative structure in line with the demands of modern football. The AFC had previously suggested several improvements to FAM's administrative structure, including the elimination of the honorary president role and the reduction of Exco members, as part of strengthening the governance of the national football body.