KUALA LUMPUR — The Youth and Sports Minister Dr Taufiq Johari’s decision to defer the RM18 million allocation to the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) has drawn criticism for placing grassroots football in limbo, with concerns that administrative caution is now coming at the expense of young players, coaches, and development pathways across the country.
While Taufiq maintains the move is necessary due to governance concerns within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), critics argue that withholding funds — even temporarily — risks disrupting a long-term national project designed to strengthen Malaysia’s football future.
Veteran sports analyst Datuk Pekan Ramli said that although the deferment could create short-term operational strain, there are grounds for the government’s cautious stance.
Speaking to Scoop, Pekan, who is also a senior lecturer at UiTM’s Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, said the decision must be viewed in the context of FAM’s ongoing governance issues.
“There is justification for the government to defer the allocation. FAM’s internal governance matters are currently under monitoring and regulatory supervision by the AFC. In such circumstances, the government has a responsibility to be careful, especially since this involves taxpayers’ money,” he said.
However, Pekan acknowledged that the timing has inevitably created instability within the development structure.
“Football development requires substantial funding. Any delay will affect operational matters — coaching emoluments, supplier payments, competition arrangements and programme implementation. There may be short-term pressure, particularly involving payments to staff and service providers,” he said.
He also questioned the timing of FAM’s takeover of the NFDP and Akademi Mokhtar Dahari (AMD), describing it as somewhat rushed amid heightened scrutiny of Malaysian football.
“The takeover appears to have been expedited at a time when national football is under intense pressure. Perhaps it could have waited until FAM’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was concluded,” he added.
Nevertheless, Pekan stressed that the deferment should not be misinterpreted as a cancellation.
“This is a major project with significant implications. From my perspective, this is merely a deferment, not a freeze. If agreements have been signed, the allocation will eventually be disbursed.”
From a governance standpoint, he said the stability of the receiving organisation must be considered before public funds are released.
“Public funds must be managed efficiently, responsibly and with integrity. The process involves both FAM and the National Sports Council (MSN), so checks and balances will naturally be stricter. Every sen spent will ultimately be audited.”
Pekan also clarified that FAM’s takeover does not encompass the entire NFDP structure.
“FAM is responsible primarily for grassroots development, especially coaching, while administrative and management aspects remain under MSN’s supervision. Monitoring and audit mechanisms are still in place — and will likely be even more stringent now,” he said.
He conceded that the restructuring has exposed weaknesses within the national football development framework but cautioned against placing sole blame on MSN.
“The programme has delivered value and deserves recognition. However, the inability to produce players capable of qualifying for major tournaments such as the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups, the Asian Cup and the Olympic Games has eroded public confidence. The final output has also not consistently met the standard required for the senior Harimau Malaya squad,” he said.
He added that FAM likely felt compelled to assume greater control of the development pathway rather than continue absorbing criticism over repeated shortcomings.
“We now hope FAM can fulfil this responsibility and meet the performance indices set by the government.”
Meanwhile, senior sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa described the deferment as a matter of financial governance rather than political manoeuvring.
He said the move was justified as FAM’s case with FIFA has yet to be fully resolved.
“Until the leadership issue is formally settled, it would be inappropriate to channel such a significant allocation. The government must ensure that funds are disbursed to a legally recognised and stable leadership structure,” he said.
Sadek explained that the NFDP is a collaborative initiative involving the Education Ministry (MoE), the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) and FAM, with financial responsibilities shared across agencies.
“MoE covers educational expenses, while KBS funds competitions, talent development and technical officers. The deferment is administrative and temporary. Once the CAS decision is known, KBS is expected to release the allocation to FAM’s recognised management,” he said.
He added that public funds must be channelled to a duly authorised office bearer.
“Without a recognised president, it is reasonable to defer disbursement. The secretary-general does not hold the same mandate as the president in matters involving accountability for public funds.”
Sadek stressed that allocations from KBS to FAM remain subject to MSN supervision and annual audits.
“The accountability framework is already in place. This deferment is simply due to the absence of an officially recognised president. Once that is resolved, the administrative obstacle will be removed.
“This is not a punishment, nor a signal that funding will be withdrawn permanently. It reflects the government’s responsibility to uphold transparency, accountability and financial discipline in the management of national sports bodies.”
Launched in 2014, NFDP creates a long-term talent pipeline through the Tunas Academy, District Training Centres (PLD), and AMD.
While the KBS handed technical control to the FAM last month, with Datuk Ong Kim Swee appointed as technical director, governance and oversight remain unchanged. – February 25, 2026