PETALING JAYA: The appointment of Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin as the honorary president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has sparked some public debate, but current FAM president Datuk Joehari Ayub insists the move will not undermine his leadership.

Hamidin, who served as FAM president from 2018 until stepping down earlier this year, became only the second person in the association’s history to be bestowed the honorary title, following the late Sultan Ahmad Shah, who held the role for 30 years.

The decision was formalised during FAM’s extraordinary congress held yesterday, in accordance with Article 22 of the FAM statutes, which allows the title to be conferred on former presidents in recognition of their significant contributions to Malaysian football.

While the honorary role comes without voting rights, it allows Hamidin to attend congress sessions and offer input in an advisory capacity.

Some have criticised the move, citing past controversies and questioning the timing of the appointment.

However, Joehari is adamant that the decision is not political but strategic.

“To be honest, this appointment is nothing personal,” said Joehari.

“Anybody can make assumptions or comments, but for us, we have to move forward. We believe Tan Sri Hamidin will add value to the organisation. That’s how we feel.”

Joehari emphasised that the honorary president’s role is entirely separate from his own.

“We have different roles. Tan Sri will act more as an adviser, while I continue my duties as FAM president as usual. In fact, his presence could help improve decision-making across the board.”

He added that Hamidin’s vast network in global and regional football circles including FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Asean Football Federation (AFF), as well as various government and private bodies, is a major asset to FAM.

“We need Tan Sri’s connections with FIFA, AFF, AFC, the Malaysian government and also private entities. Seeing all these, we felt it was the right decision to appoint him as the honorary president,” said Joehari.

The appointment received unanimous support from FAM’s affiliates, with no objections raised during the congress.

“This is a lifelong position, but we’ll still include it as a standing agenda item at every general meeting,” Joehari clarified.

“Everyone has their own credibility and this move is about enhancing ours.”