PETALING JAYA: Eight years ago in Kuala Lumpur, national Under-23 defensive midfielder Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba sat in the stands at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, watching the Harimau Muda take on Thailand in the 2017 SEA Games football final.

Malaysia fell 0-1 to Thailand and settled for silver, but the Penang-born player left the stadium deeply inspired, especially because his brother, Syamer Kutty Abba, was part of the starting XI that night.