Tunku Ismail said he is not bothered by claims that he is to blame for the country’s football woes.
“I have been blamed for Malaysia’s football problems for 13 years,” he told a press conference at a hotel here today.
“If blaming me helps you to sleep soundly at night, then it’s not a problem.”
Asked whether he thought the help and support he had given to national football might have pampered the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), he said he did it out of a genuine love for the game and a desire to see the sport grow.
“Yes, but what can I do? If I don’t keep the engine running, football will fall apart. One day, I hope more local businesses and businessmen will step up to support national football, in terms of funding and structure.
“That’s the only way to sustain the sport in this country,” he said.
On his involvement with FAM, Tunku Ismail said it began when he was asked to help request a higher government allocation for the national team’s allowances and operating costs.
He dismissed suggestions of a conflict of interest, saying that supporting the national team should be a shared responsibility.
“There’s no conflict of interest with the national team. Everyone should be helping. Being involved is already a burden itself,” he said, adding that his role was purely out of goodwill for those in the football ecosystem.
He also said he had no interest in returning as FAM president, noting that the position required full-time commitment. “I already have my own responsibilities, and they already have a president,” he said.
Earlier, FMT reported that Tunku Ismail called for FAM to take full responsibility for the controversy surrounding allegations that falsified documents were submitted to Fifa to enable seven naturalised players to play for the country.
He said he did not agree with the suspension of FAM general secretary Noor Azman Rahman over the issue.
He said many others were involved in signing the players, and everyone should take responsibility, including the Harimau Malaya CEO and management.
On Oct 17, FAM deputy president S Sivasundaram announced the decision to suspend Noor Azman to allow an internal committee to investigate the matter.
Fifa had previously issued a statement saying that contrary to documents submitted by FAM claiming that the grandparents of the seven players were born in Malaysia, its own investigation found original records indicating they were actually born in Spain, Argentina, Brazil and the Netherlands.
Noor Azman had said the dispute stemmed from a “technical error” by an administrative staff when submitting the documents to Fifa.
Fifa fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million) and each of the seven players 2,000 Swiss francs (RM11,000) in addition to 12 months’ suspension.
FAM has filed an appeal against the sanctions with Fifa, and a decision is expected by Oct 30.
A failed appeal could result in points deduction for the national team in their ongoing 2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.