FAM's late CAFA Cup withdrawal a bad look for Malaysian football

New Straits Times

17-07-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Football critic Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli has taken aim at the FA of Malaysia (FAM) for withdrawing Harimau Malaya from the CAFA Nations Cup (Aug 29-Sept 8), urging the national body to own up to its mistake.
Pekan said the last-minute withdrawal from the Central Asian tournament has left Malaysian football's image in tatters and risks souring ties with regional football authorities.
"We need to be honest. This wasn't CAFA's mistake. We knew from the start the early matches didn't fall within the Fifa window, yet we still agreed to take part," he said.
"This should have been studied earlier. You can't say you only found out now. Was it overconfidence in securing heritage players? Logistical problems?
"All of this should have been considered in advance, including the consequences of losing without key players, which could have seriously damaged our ranking and reputation."
Malaysia's withdrawal — more than a month before the Aug 29 kick-off — came after it became clear that assembling a full-strength squad, especially heritage players based overseas, would not be feasible due to scheduling conflicts and travel challenges.
While FAM has yet to publicly accept responsibility, Pekan believes the handling of the matter could trigger a diplomatic fallout in regional football.
"When you pull out at the eleventh hour, it looks like you're blaming others. CAFA has already said they're not happy with how it was handled. Maybe they had everything in place — logistics and all — and now we're the ones pulling out. That hurts the relationship," he said.
Pekan also warned of a growing backlash from fans and netizens.
"This is the reality the management has to face. Yes, maybe we protected our ranking, and that's one silver lining. If we had gone and lost without our best players, our FIFA ranking (No. 125) could have dropped.
"But that still doesn't erase the bad impression we've created."
He criticised what he sees as a strategic miscalculation, believing that the team could compete in CAFA with a full-strength squad.
"There was an assumption they could get everyone. When that didn't happen, they made a drastic call that hurt the country's image.
"They didn't want to risk a ranking drop or spoil their unbeaten run, so they pulled out. It shows they were more focused on preserving stats than giving others a chance."
Pekan added that the decision not only affected ties with CAFA but also disrupted plans at home, including the now-cancelled Merdeka Tournament, which may be revived as a last-minute replacement.
"Maybe they scrapped the Merdeka Tournament earlier because of the CAFA event. Now they need to revive it or organise matches with other nations — during the proper Fifa window.
"If it's from Sept 1-9, and they want matches to prepare, they won't get the full team. At best, it'll just be internal prep.
"Some may say — just go with whoever's available. But clearly, the management didn't want to risk the ranking. They chose the safer path — protecting results and image, even if it hurts our international credibility."
Pekan concluded by calling on FAM to take responsibility.
"This isn't just football. It's about international relations. CAFA is a regional governing body, and now we've damaged that relationship.