Malaysian media 'skeptical' about FAM's football reform plan

Malaysian football is once again focused on the term 'rebuilding' with the appointment of former national player Ong Kim Swee as head of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP).

This decision quickly drew attention due to a strong message from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM): giving Ong Kim Swee full authority to fix a youth training system that has failed for many years.

In theory, this is a sensible move. Ong Kim Swee is a seasoned figure, knowledgeable about domestic football, and has experience working under limited infrastructure and personnel conditions. However, the initial steps of this 'rebuilding' have raised concerns among experts and fans alike.

Recently, the NST newspaper provided in-depth analysis, suggesting that FAM’s reform program seems more like cost-cutting. Instead of seeing plans to expand scouting systems, increase youth competitions, or invest more in school and grassroots football, the earliest signs are staff reductions, coach dismissals, and program downsizing.

With the NFDP budget reportedly cut by around 35 percent, NST posed a major question: "When the initial signs of reform involve cost reductions, it is entirely reasonable to question whether this is a genuine rebuilding or simply another cost-saving measure."

In reality, the core issue of Malaysian football has never been the lack of restructuring, but rather scale and depth. The NFDP and Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) have existed for over a decade, yet the results have been very limited. Malaysia’s youth teams remain obscure in Asia, while the national team increasingly relies on naturalized players.

Youth development is not about quickly swapping personnel. Its essence is to broaden the foundation: more young players getting game time, more tournaments organized, more coaches closely involved at the grassroots level, and more talent scouts exploring overlooked areas. Cutting the scale from the start is like closing the door on the very young players Malaysian football aims to save.

Worse, mass layoffs and downsizing cause serious human resource damage. Young coaches already work in unstable environments with low pay and little job security. When confidence in the development path shakes, capable people leave football, leaving a huge gap for the future.