Malaysia withdraws decision to withdraw from AFF Cup 2016

(Baonghean.vn) - After the Malaysian Government's moves to seriously consider the decision to withdraw from the AFF Suzuki Cup 2016, the General Secretary of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) affirmed that the country's football team will not accept this request. At the same time, the Malaysian Government cabinet has just issued an official announcement.

On The Star of Malaysia, a representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports said that the Malaysian Government will take other actions to protest against the crimes against the Rohingya people in Rakhine State, northwest Myanmar: "The Cabinet discussed the situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. And finally, we decided not to withdraw from the AFF Suzuki Cup 2016, but will not give up our deep concern about the escalating violence in Rakhine State if it does not stop."

The Malaysian government respects the rules of the game set by FIFA.

“The Malaysian government is also aware that boycotting the AFF Cup 2016 in Myanmar will put the Malaysian Football Federation at risk of being severely punished by FIFA. We are very concerned about what happened in Myanmar, but we have also thought about FIFA’s sanctions and made this decision,” Khairy Jamaluddin added.

Mr. Datuk Mohd Hamidin - General Secretary of the Football Association of Malaysia and also Head of the Malaysian National Team at the Southeast Asian Football Championship (AFF Cup) previously also spoke out to protect the rights of the national football team against the reactions of the Ministry of Youth and Sports about the Rohingya Muslim conflict in northwestern Myanmar.

“Football has nothing to do with religion, politics, class, and that is the reality. If Malaysia wants to withdraw, this decision should have been made from the beginning, not now because of the escalating violence and give up halfway. We are playing well in the group stage. If we are lucky, we can definitely advance to the semi-finals and the final. Why should the Malaysian Football Federation and the national team be affected because of the conflict in Myanmar? Withdrawing from the AFF Cup will affect the players’ morale. Do not force football to be a scapegoat in this matter,” said Datuk Mohd Hamidin.

Malaysia's national team's performance is being affected by escalating violence-related conflicts.

Previously, due to tensions in Rakhine, Myanmar, about 86 Rohingya people were killed, 30,000 people lost their homes and had to migrate. The Malaysian cabinet has called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to withdraw the national team from the AFF Cup 2016 to protest the Myanmar government's treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state.

With the above decision, the Malaysian Football Federation as well as the Malaysian national team can now confidently focus on the regional tournament. In Group B, after winning 3-2 against Cambodia in the opening match and losing 0-1 to Vietnam, with 3 points, Coach Ong Kim Swee's team must win against host Myanmar in the final match of the group stage taking place tomorrow (November 26) to be able to get a ticket to the semi-finals./.

Trung Kien