KUALA LUMPUR — Several affiliate members of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) insist the honorary president’s post remains relevant and should be retained under the governing body’s proposed constitutional reforms.
Penang Football Association president Mohd Azizudin Mohd Shariff is also disputing that the proposed removal of the post is on the cards, pointing out that the draft statutes circulated to FAM affiliates last week clearly retain the honorary president position within the association’s organisational structure.
“As such, claims that the position will be abolished are puzzling because provisions relating to the honorary president role remain clearly stated in the draft statutes that will be tabled for approval by congress.
“The honorary president position should be maintained. It is a ceremonial role conferred as the highest form of recognition for individuals who have made significant contributions to football administration,” Azizudin told Scoop.
For the record, former FAM president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin is currently the association’s honorary president after being appointed to the post at an extraordinary congress in June last year.
Earlier, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John told Scoop that the position of honorary president was no longer practised by football governing bodies, including the AFC and FIFA, as it was considered outdated in the modern football landscape.
Removal of the post and other amendments to the FAM statutes are subject to approval at the FAM’s extraordinary congress on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Melaka Football Association deputy president Datuk Mohd Saiful Mat Sapri stressed that Hamidin’s appointment was lawfully approved by FAM affiliates through an extraordinary congress in 2025.
He said suggestions that the position was set to be scrapped were inaccurate and risked creating unnecessary confusion among affiliates and stakeholders within Malaysian football.
According to Mohd Saiful, the honorary president role is also expressly provided for in the proposed statutory amendments drafted with AFC involvement and guidance.
“This demonstrates that the position is not only recognised but continues to have a place within the new governance framework being proposed.
“What will be presented at the extraordinary congress (this Thursday) forms part of a broader reform and enhancement process aimed at ensuring FAM’s governance remains aligned with the best practices advocated by both the AFC and FIFA.
“Any proposed amendments should not be interpreted as an attempt to terminate or undermine appointments that have already been decided and approved by Congress,” he told Scoop.
The differing interpretations surrounding the proposed reforms have placed renewed attention on the honorary president position ahead of Thursday’s congress, where delegates are expected to vote on a series of governance amendments designed to modernise FAM’s statutes and administrative structure. – June 2, 2026