Johor prince tells FAM to crack down on match-fixing
Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said football match-fixing in the country is worrying and called on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to address the matter.
"Match-fixing in Malaysia is still active. It’s worrying and the FAM has to act, like being more tough.
"For example, if they have proof that players have been caught for match-fixing, they should be banned for life, not banned for three months, fined RM3,000, and allowed to play again.
"That does not solve anything," he said in an interview on BBC news.
He added not having an academy to discipline young players as well as late salaries due to lack of funds, also help fuel match-fixing.
The crown prince was interviewed after Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) made history to become the first Malaysian football club to make into the semi-final of the AFC Cup on Sept 14.
This was in contrast to the national team's humiliating 10-0 defeat to UAE in the World Cup qualifiers.
Tunku Ismail described the 10-0 defeat as "shocking" and a "horrible feeling".
He believes that if JDT leads the way, other Malaysian football teams will eventually follow suit.
"People who handle football in Malaysia don't care about the progress of the sport, they don't feel for the sport and they don't love the game.
"But just to see us (JDT) managing to qualify and being in the semi-final, it's such an overwhelming feeling.
"I bet that even though we cannot change the face of Malaysian football, whatever we are doing indirectly will force other teams in the Malaysian league to act like how we have acted," he said.
Tunku Ismail said this includes youth development, upgrading football facilities and combating corruption in the sport.
He added that Malaysia cannot be in denial as the country needs foreign expertise such as coaches.
He added local coaches can eventually take over after foreign experts had imparted their knowledge.
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