Malaysia to push grassroots football

December 15, 2009

Malaysia said Tuesday it would pour more resources into grassroots-level football, buoyed by the national side reaching the finals of the Southeast Asian Games for the first time in 20 years.

Youth and sports minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek told state media the government had approved a football development fund with a budget of up to 60 billion ringgit (18 million dollars).

“It will be for grassroots development as the Football Association of Malaysia lacks funds for this purpose,” Ahmad Shabery told Bernama news agency.

He said the fund would initially be used for grassroots football development but could later be extended to other sports, without elaborating.

The minister said the fund would provide a stimulus to the sport following Malaysia’s feat in reaching the finals of the Southeast Asian Games this week after a 20 year hiatus.

Malaysia will take on Vietnam in the finals on Thursday.

Critics say the national side has fallen a long way since the heady days of the 1970s and 1980s when they reached two Olympic Games.

The steep decline has been blamed on a failure to nurture talent, poor management, cronyism, corruption and a lack of government support.

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)

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