PETALING JAYA -- The FA of Malaysia (FAM) are hoping their affiliates will make the right choice to change the nation's football fortunes at the ruling body's elections on March 25 after the full list of nominees was revealed on Monday.
As expected, Tunku Sultan Ismail and Tan Sri Annuar Musa will slug it out for the post of president, while a host of other officials have been nominated to make up 16 more positions within the new FAM hierarchy from 2017-21.
"We want these elections to be as smooth flowing as possible, so we hope the current officials do make the right choices in choosing their candidate," said FAM deputy president Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah at the national body's final executive committee meeting.
"The nominees who want to withdraw can do so, but they must do so officially in writing in to the Secretariat."
The battle for presidential hot seat will undoubtedly take centre stage at the elections. The Johor Crown Prince, also known as TMJ, is strong favourite to assume the position ahead of former Kelantan president Annuar.
TMJ said last week that he wants to become FAM president to change the landscape of Malaysian football, which has rapidly slumped over the last decade.
The Johor Darul Ta'zim owner has revamped the Southern Tigers since they were rebranded in 2013, turning them into one of Southeast Asia's leading sides.
BERITA: Senarai penuh nama calon bertanding pemilihan FAM bagi penggal 2017-2021 yang diumum secara rasmi, hari ini https://t.co/l8Hguk3V3l pic.twitter.com/DoJQMoTAWc
- FA Malaysia (@FAM_Malaysia) February 20, 2017
Should TMJ become president, the hope is that he will be able to ring similar changes, as swiftly as possible, to steady the ship in a big year for Malaysian football.
The challenge will be to achieve success without the kind of expensive import players from South America who have driven JDT's impressive run over the past four seasons.
The national team will be vying for a place at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, as they look to advance from Group B in the third round of qualifying. The Malaysians, North Korea, Lebanon and Hong Kong are vying for two spots at the tournament in two years.
The current FAM executive committee declared in 2015 that anything but a berth in the showcase event would be considered a failure.
But FAM announced that they may not make the trip to Pyongyang to face North Korea in their next qualifier on March 28, after the souring of relations in the wake of the suspicious death in Kuala Lumpur last week of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.
"We will liaise with the Asian Football Confederation on the matter. If they feel that is not safe for us to play there, the game could be played in a neutral venue," said FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Amin.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Under-22 team are gearing up to try to win the football gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur in August.
Full list of executive committee nominees (2017-21)
President:
Tunku Sultan Ismail
Tan Sri Annuar Musa
Deputy President:
Datuk Wira Yusoff Mahadi
Datuk Seri Affandi Hamzah
Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal
Vice President:
Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin
Datuk S. Sivasundaram
Joehari Ayob
Datuk Abdul Ghani Hassan
Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan
Datuk Rosmadi Ismail
Datuk Dr. Shamsul Anwar
Datuk Astaman Abdul Aziz
Marzuki Sulong
Executive committee members:
Abdul Aziz Yeop
Supt Dali Wahid
Datuk Azril Mat Drus
Subkhiddin Salleh
Firdaus Mohamed
Christopher Raj
Datuk Jefferey Low
Datuk Hisamudin Yahaya
Datuk Azisman Alias
Datuk Aminuddin Omar
Datuk Mohammad Yadzan
Haju Ishsam
Nik Ahmad Yaakub
Datuk Gary Nair
Jamil Zakaria
Nokman Mustafa
Datuk Mazelan Kasap
Female Executive Committee Members:
Shafizah Umamah
Roselina Idrus
Datuk Norhuda Ahmad
Tuan Nah
Normala Yusoff
Datuk Suraya Yaacob
Isfarina Bali