A former FAM top official has proposed that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak takeover as Football Association (FAM) president.

According to Utusan Online, former FAM vice-president Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar said FAM has had former prime ministers such as Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak head the association before.

"To me, the FAM president must be someone who is influential. What's wrong with offering the position to the prime minister.

"It's up to him (Najib) whether he agrees to this suggestion or not, because football is the mother of all sports," he said.

Pahang crown prince Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has stated that he will not seek re-election as FAM president.

Although the election is scheduled for next year, there has been speculation that Johor crown prince Tuanku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and Kelantan Football Association president Annuar Musa being among the likely contenders.

Raja Ahmad Zainuddin added that previously, there has been a precedent where a serving cabinet member was allowed to be FAM president.

"We had (then) Youth and Sports Minister Hamzah Abu Samah as FAM president (1976-1983).

"At that time, he was allowed by the Cabinet to hold the position, but now that's no longer allowed.

"To me, Najib is a great leader, he can provide motivation to the players in order to restore the dignity of football in this country," Raja Ahmad Zainuddin said.

He added that the representatives of FAM can nominate anyone to contest the positions even if the nominee is not directly involved in football, as long there is support from the association.

"Even those who have nothing to do with FAM can be nominated. In fact, it is also not wrong under Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) regulations.

"What would be a problem is if the government interferes so much that it disturbs the affairs of football in the country," he said.