FAM Mulls TMJ's Proposal For Independent Refereeing Body

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will look into the proposal to establish an independent refereeing body for the Malaysia League (Liga-M), as suggested by Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail, said FAM deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram.

In a statement today, he acknowledged the concerns raised by the Regent of Johor through a post on X yesterday, which called for a refereeing body independent of the national football governing body.

"FAM highly values all suggestions and feedback from Tunku Mahkota Ismail. We welcome such input with an open heart," he said.

Sivasundaram also addressed TMJ’s proposal that teams dissatisfied with refereeing decisions be allowed to hire and pay for foreign referees to officiate their matches.

However, he emphasised that all related costs, including referee allowances, accommodation, and meals, must be borne by the respective teams.

"FAM or MFL (Malaysia Football League) will not cover the costs of hiring foreign referees. It is important to note that securing foreign referees is very expensive, with payments made in US dollars (USD)," he said.

At the same time, Sivasundaram expressed admiration for local referees' performances in the M-League this season, noting that some have earned recognition from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

He pointed out that FAM had received only four written complaints from 161 matches this season, as local referees demonstrated strong knowledge of the game’s laws and high fitness levels, aided by the effectiveness of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.

"As we know, Nazmi Nasaruddin and his assistants, Zairul Khalil Tan and Mua’zi Zainai Abidin, have officiated at the AFC Asian Cup and the AFC Elite Champions League. Nazmi is also among the candidates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup referee list.

"FAM also has a pool of young and promising referees who have been trained through the Professional Referee Academy Project," he added.

Other concerns raised by TMJ regarding the M-League  include poor stadium and pitch conditions, delays in player salary payments, and certain team managements failing to prioritise their club’s welfare.

He also criticised those who frequently make excuses and shift blame onto FAM and MFL for their own shortcomings.

-- BERNAMA