KUALA LUMPUR: The FA of Malaysia (FAM) must repair its tarnished reputation before seeking recognition or expecting sponsors to place their confidence in the association, says football analyst Sadek Mustafa.
He said the fallout from the heritage player scandal continued to overshadow Malaysian football, with questions being raised over FAM's nomination for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Association of the Year (Gold) award.
French investigative journalist Romain Molina recently questioned the nomination, given FIFA's sanctions against FAM and seven players in 2025 over falsified documents used to establish the players' eligibility to represent Malaysia.
Sadek said FAM should have concentrated on putting its house in order and restoring public confidence before pursuing awards.
"The image of Malaysian football is still tarnished and FAM should not have applied for the AFC award as a sign of repentance. Only once everything is in order and results are being produced, should they seek recognition through awards," he said.
He said FAM still had considerable work to do to clear its name following the scandal, which triggered FIFA sanctions and the resignation of its executive committee.
The association is also trying to strengthen its commercial backing, with FAM media and marketing committee chairman Datuk Syed Mahadi Syed Hassan saying on Monday that it was close to securing partnerships with two major local companies.
Sadek welcomed the prospect of fresh sponsorship but said the details should be made public once the agreements were signed.
"It is positive, but we hope more details will be revealed after the signings are confirmed," he said.
FAM disclosed in August last year that it had raised between RM7 million and RM8 million against a sponsorship target of RM15 million, highlighting the financial challenge facing the association and its national teams.
Its commercial relationships also came under scrutiny after the FIFA sanctions, with long-time sponsor Bank Islam having sought an explanation from FAM. The association was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million) over the case.
Meanwhile, Sadek called on FAM to explain its staff retrenchment exercise, which has already attracted public criticism, including from former FAM marketing head Sayf Ismail.
He said the national body should clarify the reasons behind the cuts and ensure the process complied with Malaysian labour laws.
Sadek also questioned whether reducing the workforce would make FAM more efficient, warning that cost-cutting could prove counterproductive if it focused on lower-paid employees without addressing broader operational needs.
"It will be pointless to be penny-wise and pound-foolish if only the low-paid staff are removed," he said.
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