Right decision to stay in AFF Cup

IN THE LONG TERM: Efforts to resuscitate Malaysian football would have been affected had the team been told to withdraw

MALAYSIA’S involvement in this year’s AFF Cup, as many expected it would, came to an end on Saturday. National coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee and his motley crew could not find their way past hosts Myanmar in a match they had to win and Malaysia must now look towards the 2018 edition to mount another assault on the title.

That, however, may not have been possible had the national team been told to withdraw from their final group match against Myanmar.

The inhumane treatment of the Rohingya prompted some to push for Malaysia’s withdrawal and the matter was discussed by the cabinet on Friday.

Thankfully, the cabinet decided that Malaysia would continue with the Myanmar match and discussions on the treatment of the Rohingya would be done on a government-to-government basis.

Had the cabinet ordered the team to withdraw, it would have resulted in action being taken by three international bodies — the Asean Football Federation (AFF), Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Fifa.

The AFF action would have been straightforward — Malaysia would be barred from competing in the next two editions of the tournament.

For some, Malaysia not competing in the AFF Cup would not be a big deal seeing as the national team is not exactly a world beater.

However, both AFC and Fifa frown on government interference and their action would have been more severe with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) suspended.

Some will say that would not be a bad thing either as FAM has not been able to get Malaysian football out of the rut it has been in for so long.

Suspension, however, will not solve Malaysia’s football woes but only add to them as the sport will come to a grinding halt — domestically as well as internationally.

It would have serious repercussions on the M-League and as much as the critics pan Malaysian football, it is an industry which provides for thousands.

Internationally, a ban would mean Malaysian clubs and the various national teams would be barred from playing in AFC and Fifa tournaments and this would be a catastrophe for the thousands of aspiring footballers.

Yes, the various national teams