“Biar depa lah!” (Let them be!) he said to loud cheers at the VIP holding room at the Penang International Airport on Wednesday night.
Faiz had just arrived from Zurich, Switzerland after receiving the award for best goal by the world football’s governing body FIFA at the annual Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony held on Monday night.
He explained that the award show hosts had required he speak in either English, French or Spanish, hence he was left with no option.
“Look, it is up to anyone to say anything. What is important is that I have done my best.
“As for clothing, I had to wear three layers of clothes. Those who were there would know how cold it was,” the Penang player said, referring to the winter in Switzerland, with the city of Zurich currently experiencing snow and temperatures close to zero degrees celsius.
Penang FA president Nazir Ariff Mushir Ariff who was present said: “Faiz is now a world champion. Pray tell what these critics have achieved?”
Faiz was criticised by a columnist in an online news portal for his poor English while some netizens took offence when the Penang FA footballer did not wear a Baju Melayu when he received his award, despite having taken two such costumes presented to him by NGOs.
Eyeing place in national side
Meanwhile, Faiz, 29, said being drafted into the national team was his long-term goal.
He said for now, he hoped to train hard to be a regular feature on the Penang team.
“There are no functions to celebrate in Penang, it is just back to training. I just want to win for Penang,” Faiz said when queried by reporters.
Penang FA’s new coach Ashley Westwood recently said that regardless of Faiz’s award, there was no promise of him being in the line-up, as he had to fight for his place like every other player.
Meanwhile, an elated Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Faiz was Penang’s icon of success and announced a RM50,000 incentive for his achievement. Last February, Lim handed a RM10,000 reward to Faiz after his spectacular free kick goal had gone viral worldwide, bringing the world’s attention to Penang and the country.
Earlier in Kuala Lumpur, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced a RM150,000 payout to Faiz by his ministry and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Hero’s welcome in Penang
Faiz had just travelled from Zurich to Penang with a stop in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.
He also nearly missed his connecting flight to Penang but managed to get a seat on board Malaysia Airlines flight 1166 on the last row of seats, an airline official said.
As soon as he arrived at the VIP lounge at 9.20pm, a jet-lagged Faiz smiled at the crowd.
Despite looking visibly tired, the pint-sized man was immediately energised upon seeing fans chanting his name at the airport.
Faiz then joined in a prayer of thanks led by Penang’s Qudwatur Rasul award winner and syarie lawyer Muneer Mohamed Farid.
As the prayer ended, Faiz’s wife Nitzawanis Hashim and one-year-old son Alif Fayyadh embraced him.
His parents Subri Kader, 64, and Saadiah Ishak, 55, were in tears as they gave Faiz a tight hug. With friends from his hometown of Jerlun, Kedah there to greet him as well, Faiz was clearly happy to be back home.
After the press conference, Faiz was taken on a “victory lap” at the departure area of the airport by nearly 300 Penang football fans.
They stopped to sing the Negaraku and state anthem Negeri Kita in full vigour in the airport before Faiz was whisked away in a waiting car.