ID :
26540
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 19:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/26540
The shortlink copeid
M'SIA DOES NOT BENEFIT FROM AFC HOUSE IN BUKIT JALIL
By Zulhilmi Supaat
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- What good does it make to cry over the
loss of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters, if after 43 years
of its establishment in Bukit Jalil here, has failed to benefit the
country?
Only sentimental values seem to bind AFC and Malaysia if the 46-member
confederation is firm in going ahead with its plan to move out to a new
home.
The AFC was formed on May 8, 1954 in Manila, Philippines and its
secretariat
had hopped from Hong Kong to Malaysia's northern state of Penang in 1965,
followed by Ipoh in northern state of Perak (1975) and Kuala Lumpur (1978)
before finally settling in its own building in Bukit Jalil, dubbed the 'AFC
House', in 2000.
The relocation of the AFC secretariat from Hong Kong to Malaysia was
initiated by the founder and first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul
Rahman while Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Sultan Ahmad Shah
was the man who had enabled the confederation to have the AFC House in Bukit
Jalil.
However, for the past few years, it was rumoured that AFC president
Mohammed
Hammam of Qatar, was planning to shift the confederation base to another Asean
or Gulf country.
AFC, during its Executive Board meeting in June, finally opened the bidding
to all its 46-member nations.
And last week, AFC submitted to Youth and Sports Minister Ismail Sabri
Yaakob, a list of demands to be met if its headquarters was to remain in
Malaysia.
Among others, the demands signed by Mohammed Hammam himself, asked for
personal tax exemption, a new office, interest-free loans and diplomatic status
for the AFC office-bearers.
The relationship between AFC and Malaysia turned sour since July, last
year,
after the English Premier League Champion, Manchester United's (MU) visit to
the country was called off.
The Red Devil's visit, which was approved by the Malaysian Government to
promote the 50th anniversary of the country's independence, was called off by
AFC who wanted media attention to be solely focused on Asia Cup 2007.
AFC claimed that FAM was to have given full publicity to the Asia Cup as
Kuala Lumpur was the host of the tournament, along with Vietnam, Indonesia and
Thailand.
A year later, AFC clashed with the country's football governing body again
when the latter did not recognise the Champions Youth Cup (CYC) championship
which was scheduled in August.
The issue came to the fore after CYC promoter Gifted Group Limited (GGL),
accepted an offer from AFC to host the championship, hence sidelining FAM.
Mohammed Hammam's announcement to shift the AFC House from Malaysia came as
a surprise to many, including the confederation's former general-secretary Peter
Velappan, who described the current president as someone who did not understand
Asia's football history.
"It is a total disrespect to all Malaysian leaders and staff who have
worked
very hard to develop and promote football in Asia. The president obviously does
not understand the history and culture of Asian football.
"The AFC is what it is today due to the leadership, hard work and
contributions of Malaysian leaders and the support from the government.
"Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had served as its
president for 24 years, followed by Hamzah Abu Samah for 16 years and Sultan
Ahmad Shah for eight years before Mohammed Hammam took over.
"I have served as AFC general secretary for 30 years and built AFC from a
fledging confederation to what it is today. My predecessors had also worked very
hard to establish a firm foundation for the formation of AFC," Vellapan said in
an interview with Bernama recently.
So, if Mohammed Hammam could not care less of the sentimental values,
should he, at least, consider the benefits if AFC House stays in Bukit Jalil,
one wonders.
"None. There will be no benefit whatsoever for Malaysia and FAM," the
country's governing body secretary-general, Lt Gen (R) Azzuddin Ahmad said.
Asked whether the country, in particular FAM, had in any way benefitted
from AFC House, Azzuddin firmly replied in the negative.
He said if any quarters thought that FAM had an advantage, such as playing
host to AFC tournaments just because the AFC headquarters was located here, they
were wrong.
That is why, FAM would not stop them if they wanted to move out, he added.
Right now, most Malaysians considered AFC as an ingrate and there was no
need for anyone to shed tears, said Azzuddin.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- What good does it make to cry over the
loss of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters, if after 43 years
of its establishment in Bukit Jalil here, has failed to benefit the
country?
Only sentimental values seem to bind AFC and Malaysia if the 46-member
confederation is firm in going ahead with its plan to move out to a new
home.
The AFC was formed on May 8, 1954 in Manila, Philippines and its
secretariat
had hopped from Hong Kong to Malaysia's northern state of Penang in 1965,
followed by Ipoh in northern state of Perak (1975) and Kuala Lumpur (1978)
before finally settling in its own building in Bukit Jalil, dubbed the 'AFC
House', in 2000.
The relocation of the AFC secretariat from Hong Kong to Malaysia was
initiated by the founder and first prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul
Rahman while Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Sultan Ahmad Shah
was the man who had enabled the confederation to have the AFC House in Bukit
Jalil.
However, for the past few years, it was rumoured that AFC president
Mohammed
Hammam of Qatar, was planning to shift the confederation base to another Asean
or Gulf country.
AFC, during its Executive Board meeting in June, finally opened the bidding
to all its 46-member nations.
And last week, AFC submitted to Youth and Sports Minister Ismail Sabri
Yaakob, a list of demands to be met if its headquarters was to remain in
Malaysia.
Among others, the demands signed by Mohammed Hammam himself, asked for
personal tax exemption, a new office, interest-free loans and diplomatic status
for the AFC office-bearers.
The relationship between AFC and Malaysia turned sour since July, last
year,
after the English Premier League Champion, Manchester United's (MU) visit to
the country was called off.
The Red Devil's visit, which was approved by the Malaysian Government to
promote the 50th anniversary of the country's independence, was called off by
AFC who wanted media attention to be solely focused on Asia Cup 2007.
AFC claimed that FAM was to have given full publicity to the Asia Cup as
Kuala Lumpur was the host of the tournament, along with Vietnam, Indonesia and
Thailand.
A year later, AFC clashed with the country's football governing body again
when the latter did not recognise the Champions Youth Cup (CYC) championship
which was scheduled in August.
The issue came to the fore after CYC promoter Gifted Group Limited (GGL),
accepted an offer from AFC to host the championship, hence sidelining FAM.
Mohammed Hammam's announcement to shift the AFC House from Malaysia came as
a surprise to many, including the confederation's former general-secretary Peter
Velappan, who described the current president as someone who did not understand
Asia's football history.
"It is a total disrespect to all Malaysian leaders and staff who have
worked
very hard to develop and promote football in Asia. The president obviously does
not understand the history and culture of Asian football.
"The AFC is what it is today due to the leadership, hard work and
contributions of Malaysian leaders and the support from the government.
"Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had served as its
president for 24 years, followed by Hamzah Abu Samah for 16 years and Sultan
Ahmad Shah for eight years before Mohammed Hammam took over.
"I have served as AFC general secretary for 30 years and built AFC from a
fledging confederation to what it is today. My predecessors had also worked very
hard to establish a firm foundation for the formation of AFC," Vellapan said in
an interview with Bernama recently.
So, if Mohammed Hammam could not care less of the sentimental values,
should he, at least, consider the benefits if AFC House stays in Bukit Jalil,
one wonders.
"None. There will be no benefit whatsoever for Malaysia and FAM," the
country's governing body secretary-general, Lt Gen (R) Azzuddin Ahmad said.
Asked whether the country, in particular FAM, had in any way benefitted
from AFC House, Azzuddin firmly replied in the negative.
He said if any quarters thought that FAM had an advantage, such as playing
host to AFC tournaments just because the AFC headquarters was located here, they
were wrong.
That is why, FAM would not stop them if they wanted to move out, he added.
Right now, most Malaysians considered AFC as an ingrate and there was no
need for anyone to shed tears, said Azzuddin.
-- BERNAMA
