KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeoh has confirmed that former Harimau Malaya coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee has been recommended to be appointed as technical director of Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Hannah Yeoh said the plan to appoint Kim Swee is a positive development as it provides an opportunity for local players to be involved in the national football development programme at the grassroots level.
"The recommendation to hire Kim Swee as technical director of AMD came from FAM and the National Sports Council (MSN) is also aware of the decision," she said at a press conference after attending the 2025 Sepak Takraw Perpaduan Kaum 2025 Basic Sports Training Course (KLAS) here, today.
Yesterday, the media reported that Kim Swee will start the job as early as January 1 and is considered the right candidate to hold the position following his reputation in guiding Harimau Muda to win the men's football gold at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.
Kim Swee is currently not tied to any team after leaving Indonesian club Persik Kediri earlier.
Regarding the direction of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), Hannah said MSN had to temporarily postpone the programme to hand it over to FAM following the crisis that hit the national football governing body regarding the documentation issue of seven national heritage players recently.
The NFDP programme, which was launched in 2014, is a programme to improve the quality of national football by training players at the grassroots level, to produce world-class players to play on the international stage.
On Nov 3, the International Football Federation (FIFA) rejected the appeal by FAM and seven heritage players, namely Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
The FIFA Appeals Committee has upheld the punishment imposed by the world football governing body's Disciplinary Committee on FAM and the seven heritage players for offences relating to forged documents under Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
In this regard, FAM was ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million) while each player was fined CHF2,000 (approximately RM11,000).
The seven players were also suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities.
-- BERNAMA
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