The Football Association of Malaysia pulled out from hosting the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) Congress next year on the government's advice, said Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president Apandi Hamzah.

He thus denies that it was due to internal problems.

"It has nothing to do with FAM internal problems. We refer to the statement by the deputy prime minister who cite security issues.

"FAM was advised to withdraw as hosts. After listening to the advice, we decided to withdraw," he said at a press conference after the FAM executive council meeting in Kelana Jaya.

It was recently reported that Fifa had cancelled FAM's right to host the 2017 Fifa Congress.

It was reported that FAM failed to guarantee that the delegation will get Malaysian visa.

Apandi said FAM informed Fifa that it wants to withdraw on July 25. The international football governing body agreed to this on Aug 9.

"We had planned to announce it to the media but we did not expect it to be spread before that," he said.