No comment after pow-wow of big guns

FA of Malaysia (FAM) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had a discussion over the state of affairs in local football at Shahzan House in Ampang yesterday.

Khairy, however, was tight-lipped when approached by the media over matters that were discussed in the one-hour long meeting stating that an official announcement would be made soon.

Tengku Abdullah did not meet the media yesterday.

“It was a positive meeting. We jointly agreed to a formula to move forward. An announcement will be made soon,” Khairy told reporters yesterday.

“We touched on several matters … our discussion, I felt, was positive. Tengku Abdullah’s reaction was also positive.

“We look ahead and will work on a formula to help the local game.”

It is understood that Tengku Abdullah and Khairy met to seek solutions over matters raised by Darul Ta’zim owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim recently.

Tunku Ismail rocked Malaysian football by criticising national coach Ong Kim Swee over his training methods and also claiming he had evidence of corruption in FAM.

Tunku Ismail had blamed Kim Swee’s training methods for injuries to the club’s players following the national team’s three-match tour of Oceania last month.

Following that, national captain Safiq Rahim, Aidil Zafuan Radzak, S. Kunanlan and Amirulhadi Zainal quit international football.

The coach had a meeting with Khairy last week in Putrajaya to provide details of his training methods.

Tunku Ismail then claimed that he had proof, saved in a pendrive, on alleged corruption practices among FAM officials.

The national body denied it and proposed an audience with Tunku Ismail to settle the matter amicably.

The concerned parties then urged Tunku Ismail to hand his pendrive to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation but the Darul Ta’zim owner declined, stating that he will personally solve the issue.

Asked whether he will be keen to have a joint meeting with Tengku Abdullah and Tunku Ismail to settle their differences, Khairy said: “I do not want to comment further over this matter.”

“However, today’s meeting ended positively and an announcement will be made very soon,” Khairy added. By Ajitpal Singh