Harimau Malaya home matches to be telecast live by RTM, Astro - FAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), today announced Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and paid TV provider Astro as joint broadcasters for all four national squad home matches for the second leg of the 2022 World Cup/ Asia Cup 2023 qualifying round campaign.

Malaysia drawn in Group G will face eight overall matches, starting with the first match against Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta tomorrow, and ending with the last match against Thailand in Bangkok on June 9, next year.

During the nine-months, Tan Cheng Hoe's Harimau Malaya will play four times at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, meeting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sept 10, Thailand (on Nov 14), Indonesia (Nov 19, 2019) and Vietnam on March 31, 2020.

The four home matches will be broadcast live on RTM via TV1 and RTM HD Sports channels, and on Astro through the Astro Arena 801 & 802 HD channels.

FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin in a press statement today said that the selection of RTM and Astro was to ensure that the national squad could be watched by all Malaysians no matter where they are.

“So it is my hope that all Malaysians, regardless of race and community, will give their full support to our Harimau Malaya squad to ensure positive results are achieved,” he said.

Meanwhile, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo hopes that with RTM also serving as the official broadcaster for these qualifying rounds, it will please all Malaysians especially those who do not subscribe to paid television channels.

“We often hear requests from supporters and Malaysian football fans who want RTM to broadcast live matches involving the national squad, Harimau Malaya.

“With the cooperation of FAM this time, I am quite proud that what the people of Malaysia have requested has been realised. Football is for everyone and I hope that all Malaysians can together watch the matches live,” Gobind said.

Astro Sports Division head Lee Choong Khay also said Astro's continued commitment to Malaysian football, especially the national team, Harimau Malaya with live broadcasts of matches and associated programmes, hoped to boost the enthusiasm of fans, supporters and players alike.

-- BERNAMA