PETALING JAYA: A new president will take charge of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) as Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan enters the Extraordinary Congress in a straight fight with Selangor FA (FAS) deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Shahril Mokhtar today.

But the more pertinent question is whether the change at the top will bring a change in how Malaysian football is governed.

Ghani, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) president, has the experience of leading the country’s professional league, while Shahril has openly accepted the underdog tag in his bid to upset the expected outcome.

The winner, who will be at the helm for the remainder of the 2025-2029 term, will inherit an FAM facing questions over governance, finances and public confidence after one of the most turbulent periods in their history.

FAM’s 17-member executive committee resigned on Jan 28 following FIFA sanctions against the national body and seven mixed heritage players over document falsification.

FAM subsequently underwent the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Quality Audit Assessment Programme, which reviewed the association’s governance and operations before the restructuring of their executive committee from 17 members to 11.

Under the new structure, delegates will elect the president, two vice-presidents and seven executive committee members.

The second vice-president position will be held by the MFL chairman in an ex-officio capacity.

For followers of the sport, it is not simply about replacing one president with another.

It is also about whether the new leadership can address the issues that have contributed to the loss of public confidence in the national governing body.

Shahril, in a letter to affiliate members on the eve of the Extraordinary Congress, urged the 25 FAM affiliates to vote for change and put Malaysian football ahead of personal interests.

He added the election was an opportunity to rebuild trust and integrity after a turbulent period for FAM.

Shahril linked the need for change directly to the document-falsification scandal involving seven mixed heritage players, which led to sanctions against FAM and the players by FIFA.

FIFA found FAM had used doctored documentation in eligibility submissions, while the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later upheld the finding that the infraction had been established.

He also cited the findings of the independent investigation committee chaired by former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, which found serious failures in FAM’s oversight, due diligence and administrative controls, although the committee could not conclusively identify who falsified the documents.

Shahril said the subsequent AFC governance audit further exposed weaknesses within FAM, including what he described as an excessive concentration of power and a culture that weakened checks and balances.

On finances, Shahril claimed that 66 per cent of FAM’s revenue came from FIFA and AFC grants, while nearly 70 per cent was spent on staff salaries and national team operations, leaving only about 30 per cent for football development.

“I offer myself as a candidate for president with the intention of bringing change, even within a short period.

“I do not promise the moon and the stars, but I commit to making FAM a governing body that operate transparently in the spirit of mutual consultation,” he said.

With FAM celebrating their 100th anniversary, Shahril urged affiliates to put the interests of Malaysian football and its millions of supporters ahead of individual or group interests.

“Football does not belong to us, we are merely its trustees,” he said in his final message.