KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is set to gain complete control of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) and the Akademi Mokhtar Dahari (AMD) from the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) soon.
Sources in the football community indicate that FAM is already 80% complete with the process and is awaiting approval from the ministry to finalise the transition.
“FAM is on the verge of finalising the agreement and appears to have increased resources to better manage both NFDP and AMD. This improvement comes especially with the national team now being overseen by the Regent of Johor, Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
“They have more coaches available to work at the training centre in Gambang, which allows for greater international exposure for players.
“This will facilitate smoother transitions for players moving to Super League clubs, preventing their careers from becoming stagnant and underdeveloped,” the source said.
A recent high-level meeting was held with representatives from FAM, KBS, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
The minister was said to be impressed by the proposal and accompanying documents provided by FAM regarding their plans to take over both the NFDP and AMD.
“This would represent a major advancement for FAM, which has consistently pushed for direct oversight of NFDP and AMD. They feel they can provide better development opportunities for the boys than what is available now. At this point, it all depends on Hannah giving her final approval,” the source added.
When contacted by Scoop, football legend and FAM vice-president Datuk Dollah Salleh emphasised the need for FAM to take control.
“For meaningful progress, both the NFDP and AMD should be managed by FAM. This will enhance continuity, player development, and integration into the national football framework, which is beneficial for long-term planning.
“Once FAM assumes control of the AMD, we can improve talent scouting and recruit experienced coaches, including former national players, to mentor the current players. With a bit of luck, we can develop more talented players like Arif Aiman,” Dollah, who previously coached Harimau Malaya, said.
The NFDP, launched in 2011, focuses on developing young football talent through organised grassroots training programs.
Meanwhile, the AMD, created in 2014, aims to cultivate elite players and has consistently supplied over 90% of players to Malaysia’s national Under-16 team in recent years.
The initiative was first proposed in 2009 by the late Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was then the FAM president, with the goal of establishing a systematic and high-quality football development program similar to those in leading football nations.
Notable alumni of the program include Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) star Arif Aiman and former Selangor FC forward Luqman Hakim Shamsudin, who recently signed with Negeri Sembilan FC.
Currently, both the NFDP and AMD are overseen by the National Sports Council, with FAM serving only as part of the steering committee. — July 10, 2025