“will the pullout of the Malaysian national team from the AFF Suzuki Cup led to the solution for the Rohingya issue?”, Lt. Gen Dato Sri Azzuddin Ahmad, the General Secretary of the ASEAN Football Federation.
YANGON – Lt. Gen Dato Sri Azzuddin Ahmad, the General Secretary of the AFF, has made the following statement in response to the call by certain parties in the Malaysian government calling for the pullout of the Malaysian national team from the AFF Suzuki Cup due to Rohingya issue.
“I have received numerous calls from journalists from Kuala Lumpur and also here in Yangon on the recent statement made by the Malaysian Government urging for the Malaysian national team to pullout from the AFF Suzuki Cup.
For the part of the AFF, we will be very disappointed if this move gets the nod from the Malaysian Cabinet / Government.
The first point is that we have made detailed preparation for the current AFF Suzuki Cup from two years ago.
We have made our commitment and obligation to the participating teams that everything will go on as planned.
This issue has made the hosts not only to feel uneasy but also for the rest of the teams here.
We have to realise that the AFF Suzuki Cup has the power to unite people and the people across the across are eagerly waiting for this biennial event.
These matches are also sanctioned by FIFA which means that if Malaysia pull out then they might sanctioned the FAM for government interference.
Our question is this issue has been there for so long, why is there a need to raise it up during the AFF Suzuki Cup?
Also we have our commitment to the sponsors in this instance Lagardere Sports to deliver the event in entirety under the contract.
If we fail to deliver this event, then we the AFF might be liable to pay back damages to Lagardere.
The President His Royal Highness Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah was given the mandate by the AFF members to lead. And if this issue disrupted the event, then it will look bad on His Royal Highness.
There’s only one game left to go which is the game on Saturday against the hosts Myanmar.
If Malaysia make the cut, then they will not continue to play here.
These matches are also sanctioned by FIFA which means that if Malaysia pull out then they might sanctioned the FAM for government interference.
My question is, will the pullout of the Malaysian national team from the AFF Suzuki Cup led to the solution for the Rohingya issue?
No one asked us about this issue. No one seeked our opinion. And why should football be the victim on this issue?
Government intervention in football will lead to Malaysian football be sanctioned.
Also, we also have to be consistent, if they push football to be out from Myanmar now, does that mean that Myanmar will also not to be allowed to take part in the SEA Games in 2017 which Malaysia will host.
I hope that the powers that be weigh this issue properly as the implications are enormous to Malaysia pulling out and the repercussions will not be good for Malaysian football.”
