PETALING JAYA — Newly elected Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan has left the door open to changes in the Harimau Malaya coaching set-up, while setting his sights on returning the national team to the highest level of Asian football.
With Tan Cheng Hoe currently serving as interim head coach, Ab Ghani said the new FAM leadership would assess the situation before deciding on the best way forward for the national team.
He said any decision on the coaching set-up would be guided by the broader objective of strengthening Harimau Malaya and improving its performances over the next two and a half years.
“For now, coach Cheng Hoe is doing a good job with whatever he has, but we will definitely look into changing the coaching set-up,” he told reporters at a press conference following FAM’s extraordinary congress and executive committee elections at the Hilton Hotel here today.
However, Ab Ghani said Cheng Hoe could retain his position if he delivers positive results with the national team at the upcoming FIFA Asean Cup.
“We will see how it goes. If our team does well in the FIFA Asean Cup, there is a very high chance that we will keep Cheng Hoe’s services,” he said.
Ab Ghani said the administration’s ambitions extended beyond improving Malaysia’s current standing, with the ultimate goal of returning Harimau Malaya to the highest level of Asian football.
He said tangible progress would be expected over the next two and a half years, with the national team needing to deliver performances that could restore supporters’ confidence.
“We will resolve that. At the same time, we need to make improvements and correct things, or achieve something good, and convince the supporters of our national team,” he said.
Ab Ghani acknowledged the significant responsibility facing the new FAM leadership in addressing the challenges confronting Harimau Malaya and restoring the team to a level where it can compete with Asia’s leading sides.
“For me, it is a major responsibility for me and my other colleagues moving forward. We have to work together to bring the national team back to where it was before, and then take it to an even higher level.
“We want to see Harimau Malaya competing at the highest level in Asia, and that is the challenge we have to take on over the next two and a half years,” he said. – September 17, 2026