He said Teong Kim, the head of the national under-16 years (U-16) squad, should be held responsible for the failure of his squad to advance to the U-17 World Cup in Peru next year.
The U-16 squad, formed under the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), failed to get past the Group A competitions when they lost 2-0 to Japan at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-16 Championship at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
“I was informed that his salary package every month reached RM175,000, which is fully funded by MSN (National Sports Council).
“His contract and those of the top management of NFDP should be reviewed,” he told a press conference at his office here today.
Following the failure of the B-16 squad to the U-17 World Cup, FAM had taken drastic action by ending Teong Kim’s service as coach immediately today.
Teong Kim was appointed as project director of NFDP in 2013 and subsequently assumed office as director of AMD in 2016.
Syed Saddiq also announced that NFDP CEO Safirul Azli Abu Bakar had resigned following the failure of the national squad to advance to the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
According to Syed Saddiq, Teong Kim should be responsible for the defeat as he himself had set the 2019 U-17 World Cup as target.
Syed Saddiq also explained that RM80 million had been spent on NFDP programmes since 2014, not including for constructing the AMD in Gambang, Pahang.
He explained that the NFDP would not be stopped but needed restructuring.
This would be discussed at a meeting involving KBS, MSN, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), NFDP and stakeholders on Oct 15.
“We cannot stop the NFDP programme, this is a good programme. It’s a systematic football-based grassroots programme.
“After tens of millions of dollars are spent, we are still here. It is clear that there should be restructuring and we cannot say we are in a safe or comfortable position,” he explained.
Syed Saddiq also explained that in the early stages of the NFDP, the programme was promised an allocation of RM20 million each year.
But in the first year alone NFDP only received RM10 million (in 2014), then RM7 million (2015), RM3.5 million (2016) and RM3.5 million (2017).
“I cannot blame everything on the NFDP because of financial constraints, but I am intrigued that despite the financial constraints, it still pays RM175,000 every month (Teong Kim’s salary),” he said.
Earlier, FAM secretary-general Michael Stuart Ramalingam, in a statement, said the dismissal of Teong Kim was decided at the instruction of FAM president Hamidin Mohd Amin.
He said the master body had no contract with Teong Kim, but the former national player had an agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council.
“FAM’s powers are limited to the appointments of head coach and panel of assistants, but Teong Kim still has a contract with his employer. It is up to the KBS to determine the future of Teong Kim,” said Ramalingam.