SHAH ALAM — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is aiming for zero referee errors in the Malaysian League next season, following a significant rise in officiating accuracy since the introduction of the video assistant referee (VAR) system.
FAM deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram, who also chairs the Referees Committee, said last season’s 98% accuracy rate has set a high benchmark for local officials.
“We can talk about zero issues, but we must remember that referees are human too. Everyone has personal challenges — family problems or other matters they might carry onto the field — so all we can do is hope for the best,” he told reporters today.
He was speaking after officiating the signing ceremony to renew FAM’s sponsorship deal with Kronos, which also included the launch of the new referee kits for the 2025–2026 Malaysian League season.
Sivasundaram said the association welcomed all forms of feedback to further improve the standard of refereeing in domestic competitions.
“Out of 208 matches last season, we received five formal complaints. Only two were confirmed as refereeing errors, while the other three were not. Still, I respect all opinions. Wherever there are weaknesses, we must improve,” he said.
He had previously stated that, according to a full report by Referee Assessors (RA), the referee decision accuracy rate increased to 98.07% last season — a notable improvement from 88.76% in the 2023–2024 season. — July 30, 2025