KUALA LUMPUR – A sweeping governance audit by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has exposed a significant compliance lapse within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), after it emerged that the body had failed to table its annual budgets for congress approval for several years — a core requirement under modern football governance standards.
The findings, which raise serious concerns over financial oversight and accountability, indicate that the omission may have persisted since at least 2016, despite budget approval at congress level being a fundamental requirement under both AFC and FIFA governance frameworks.
Former FAM president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin said the lapse could have been the result of administrative oversight, while acknowledging that the annual budgets were not formally presented to congress during that period, even though financial matters were still discussed internally.
Speaking at a press conference after FAM’s extraordinary congress in Petaling Jaya today, Hamidin said the omission may have stemmed from procedural weaknesses.
“It is possible that there was some negligence or oversight in the process.
“The budget may not have been formally brought to congress for approval since 2016, but discussions were still taking place at both the finance committee and the executive committee levels.”
Hamidin added that during his tenure, the association continued to operate in accordance with its existing statutes, but acknowledged that global football governance standards have since tightened significantly, requiring stricter compliance with regulations set by the AFC and FIFA.
“This is a new phase for us. There are many areas that require improvement, and this presents an important opportunity for FAM to strengthen its governance framework and ensure full compliance with the standards now expected by the AFC and FIFA.
“The environment has changed, and we must adapt accordingly.”
In a separate development, Hamidin, who currently serves as FAM’s honorary president, remained non-committal on whether he would contest the upcoming elections for the new executive committee scheduled for September.
“On whether I will contest, I am considering two perspectives.
“Firstly, it may be better to step aside and allow others who are interested and capable to come forward, as there may be many who wish to contribute.
“Secondly, I will just have to wait and see how things develop before making any decision.” – June 4, 2026